


Bleeding Dry

by clowderforce



Category: Tales of Series, Tales of Xillia
Genre: Assassination, Background Relationships, Energy Crisis, Gen, Kidnapping, Multi, Mutual Pining, Polyamory, Post-Canon, Rating May Change, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Tags May Change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-15
Updated: 2017-09-12
Packaged: 2018-05-26 22:10:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 23
Words: 49,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6257776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clowderforce/pseuds/clowderforce
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Despite breakthroughs in Spyrite technology, an energy crisis continues to threaten both Rieze Maxia and Elympios. After the assassination of a major political figurehead, rising tensions between the two continents boil over into an all out war. Jude Mathis and his friends set out to save the world a third time. Set five years after the events of ToX2.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Political Disturbance

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, everyone! This is my first attempt at a longfic -- thanks for joining me for the ride! I intend on updating once per week on Tuesdays (I currently have 3 chapters finished so this should last for at least 3 weeks, ha). 
> 
> Your feedback is much appreciated. Thank you.

“Still at it, huh?” Alvin said, leaning against the doorway with a cup of coffee in hand. He wore blue cotton pajamas, and bedhead plagued his hair.

Jude sat hunched at his desk, surrounded by journals and books.  His bookshelf was absolutely crammed with them, and they’d begun to spill over onto his coffee table, desk, and a rapidly growing tower in the corner of the room. His bedroom was fairly utilitarian -- other than the alarmingly growing book piles, his room contained little more than his bed, his shelves, and his workspace. Though he spent a lot of time there, he never felt the need to make the space his own with decorations.  A notable exception sat on his windowsill: a tiny bamboo plant, gifted to him from Leia. It was supposed to be a hardy plant, but it was brown and withering under Jude’s neglect. He kept telling himself to water it, but he always forgot.

“Oh, hey, Alvin,” said Jude. He turned in his chair, cracking his neck. “Geez, is it morning already?” He asked, looking out the window.  The sun was starting to peek out, gradually lightening the sky.

Alvin nodded. “Ugh, I don’t know how you still have the energy to pull these all-nighters,” he said, taking a sip of his coffee. “Want some?” he added, offering his mug.

“I’m good, thanks.  Was thinking of going to bed soon, anyway.”

“Suit yourself,” Alvin said. “With how dead tired you look, though, I’d recommend it sooner rather than later.” Knowing full well that Jude would be up at least a few more hours, he shrugged and left the room.

Jude looked up at the clock groggily and yawned. It was already 6:30. He’d been working on his research since -- he had to stop to think about it -- about 6:30 the previous day, after getting home from the lab. Roughly 12 hours straight. He figured he could at least squeeze out another 6 hours or so before letting himself rest. Being a medical school graduate, he knew the importance of staying well-rested and healthy, but that seemed to pale in comparison to the urgency of his work.

Despite Jude’s breakthrough discovery in Spyrite research five years prior, Elympios struggled to overcome its energy crisis. It was an excellent idea in theory -- the Elympions were eager to emulate the symbiotic relationship with spirits that the Rieze Maxians had. Unfortunately, putting the new technology into practice was an entirely different matter, and there were several factors that detracted from Spyrites’ success. 

First, the technology was expensive to produce, and only the moderately wealthy were able to get their hands on them. Large organizations such as Spirius Corp, the Trigleph Division of Transportation, and various healthcare conglomerates became early adopters. However, private Spyrite usage was still rare, and most smaller companies and households still depended on Spyrix for everyday use.

Second, even when they could afford it, many chose not to implement Spyrite technology simply because it would be too difficult or time consuming to replace the existing Spyrix infrastructure. Implementing an entirely different energy grid would require hours upon hours of labor.  In addition, those laborers would have to be equipped with expertise in Spyrix-to-Spyrite conversion -- and with how new the technology was, the number of specialists in the field fell short of demand. 

Third, and perhaps most importantly, spyrites were not a guaranteed source of energy. After the destruction wrought upon Elympios by its Spyrix usage, there weren’t that many spirits available to exchange mana for their services, and the ones still around were hesitant to trust anything remotely similar to Spyrix. Jude couldn’t really blame them.

He thought maybe he had something this time, though. If humans here couldn’t produce mana naturally, perhaps there was some way to get them to do it synthetically. To compensate for their lack of healing magic, the Elympions created potions and pills to heal ailments.  Some medications could even help with mental health -- if there was a way to get the brain to regulate its serotonin intake, maybe there was a way to increase mana production as well.

Elympion medicine research journals littered Jude’s desk, with passages circled, highlighted, and marked with color coded slips of paper. He felt his head getting heavy as he scanned the pages. Maybe that coffee wasn’t such a bad idea, he thought, as he hunched over closer to the page.

When he woke up, there was a thick blanket over his shoulders.  He sat up groggily, wincing at the spot of drool he left on some of his notes. He sighed and wiped it off. At least it was on his journal and not on one of the books he borrowed. He could hear the muffled sounds of the television from down the hall -- just how long had he been asleep? He wandered into the living room. 

Jude and Alvin split the rent in a relatively shabby apartment. The best place they could afford on their meager salaries was an old 2-bedroom unit in Duval. It wasn’t exactly the slums, but it was old, stuffy, and filled with a melange of mismatched hand-me-down furniture that could desperately use an update. The walls, once a pristine contractor’s paint white, were faded and covered with nicks and scratches. The carpeting was probably old enough to have witnessed Jude’s birth. Still, it was home.

Alvin was reclined on the overstuffed brown sofa, his feet perched on the coffee table. He was watching the news. Leia was at the kitchen table, chatting with Elle as she sauteed onions on the stove.

“Well, well. Look who decided to join us,” Leia teased, grinning. It seemed that she had just come in from outside -- her coat was draped unceremoniously on the chair behind her, and her ears and nose were still red from the cold. She held a steaming cup of tea in her hands.

“Hey, Jude,” Elle said, giving a halfhearted wave without looking away from the stovetop. The onions sizzled as she swirled them around with a wooden spoon.  She took a tray of zucchini slices and swept them into the frying pan. A fresh cloud of steam plumed up. “I’m making vegetable tian tonight.  Sound good?”

“Sounds great,” Jude said, smiling. She looked more and more like her father every day, especially when she focused on her cooking. Over the past few years, Elle had developed a steadily growing passion in culinary arts. She spent her free time learning new recipes and cooking for her friends.  She aspired to one day become a lead chef at one of Trigleph’s fanciest restaurants. She’d even grown to love tomatoes.  Ludger would be proud.

“I’m worried about you,” said Leia suddenly. She placed her cup of tea on a coaster. 

“I know,” Jude said, looking down at the floor. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry,” she said, frowning. “Just… take better care of yourself. You’re going to get yourself sick if you keep neglecting yourself like this. Get more sleep. Relax. Have some fun once in awhile.”

“Sorry, it’s just really important--”

“You’re important, too,” Alvin interrupted, his eyes still fixed on the TV. “Besides, who’s going to create another technology breakthrough if you work yourself to death?”

“I won’t work myself to death,” Jude protested. “I just know that if we’re going to save Elympios before it’s completely done for, we need something better than Spyrites and we need it fast. I don’t mind wearing myself out in the short term to protect the long term.”

“You don’t have to save the world by yourself,” said Leia. “You, of all people, should know that. You have Balan and Mary, too. And the rest of the lab, for that matter. And us.”

“She’s right, you know,” Elle said, sliding a steaming plate of food in front of Jude. She handed one to Alvin and Leia as well before setting down her own plate. “You’ve already done a lot. No one would blame you if you took some time for yourself, too.”

Jude sighed, but didn’t argue any further.

Leia smiled gently at him. “How about we all go see the New Year’s fireworks show in Trigleph this weekend? The balcony at my place has an excellent view. We can have a few drinks, relax, and refresh ourselves before getting back to work.  Sound like fun?”

Jude gave a tired smile. “Sure,” he said, and scooped a forkful of food into his mouth. He wished Leia wouldn’t baby him like this, but she seemed satisfied with his answer, so he let it go.

“Uh, guys?” Alvin said, his voice serious. “Hate to interrupt, but you guys might want to see this.”  He sat up straight and turned up the volume on the television, his brow furrowed. 

On the screen, a sharp dressed reporter stood behind a mahogany desk.  “We’ve just received word from Rieze Maxian Prime Minister that the perpetrator still remains at large. He is speaking with us live from Kanbalar.”

Rowen appeared on the screen.  His posture was regal and poised, but his expression was grim. He stood in front of the palace in regal garb, the ever-present Kanbalar blizzard whipping around his braided hair.

“Uncle Rowen?” Elle said, frowning. “Usually, he keeps out of the spotlight. Must be something important.”

“Unfortunately, the reports are true,” Rowen said. “ We regret to announce that King Gaius Outway is deceased.”

Everyone fell silent, the shock of the sudden hard news weighing down on them.

“Details surrounding his death are as of yet unconfirmed,” Rowen continued. “The court of Auj Oule is currently deciding upon his replacement. In the interim, I will stand in for his duties until the new king is crowned. We thank you for your patience in this difficult time.” With that, he bowed, and his image left the screen.

“No way…” Leia said, her eyes wide. She looked very small in her chair.  “Gaius, of all people. How could this happen?”

“He’s the ruler of a continent. Of course he’d be a likely target for terrorism,” Alvin said, looking disturbed. “Still, it’s hard to believe.”

Jude looked over to him, worried.  “Do you think it might be Exodus?”

“Could be.” Alvin shrugged. “I don’t know for sure. I tend to avoid them for obvious reasons.”

“Ah, right. Sorry.” 

“Don’t worry about it,” said Alvin, waving it off. “This could be really bad, though. Rieze Maxian and Elympion relations are tense as it is. Something tells me my career in international fruit sales is going to get a lot more difficult.”

“Something tells me that  _ everything  _ is going to get a lot more difficult,” said Elle, who looked like she was on the verge of tears.

It was hard to believe. Gaius had come so far, and accomplished so much. He rose to greatness from the humble Outway Tribe, taking victory at the coliseum at only 12 years old.  By 15 he had seized the Long Dau, by 22 he had taken Kanbalar, by 32 he’d become the established monarch of Auj Oule, and by 33 he was the revered king of the entire Rieze Maxian continent. He was a powerful warrior, a benevolent king, and was both revered and beloved by his subjects. He had helped save the world not once, but twice. What could have possibly brought about his demise?

“Come on, you guys,” said Leia, trying to smile. “It’ll be okay. I mean, we’ve been through a lot. What’s one more geopolitical incident, right?” She twirled a lock of her hair around her finger.  
Unfortunately, as the wind howled outside the window and her friends remained silent, her encouragement fell flat.


	2. King's Cup

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amidst the political tension, Alvin and Jude go to Leia's apartment in Trigleph to celebrate the coming new year.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m posting this chapter a couple of days early in the spirit of St. Paddy’s Day, because there is plenty of drinking involved in this chapter. Also I have no patience and I’m reducing my buffer because I’m a masochist I guess???? Anyway, enjoy.

Jude looked up at the towering brick building. Leia had moved in over a month ago, but this was their first time visiting the new place. “This is the one, right?” he asked, tucking the map in his coat pocket.

“Looks like it,” Alvin said, pointing over to the access entry system. One of the buttons said  _ Rolando/Mel Marta _ on it. He gave it a press, and it made a buzzing noise.

“Hang on! I’ll be right down!” a slightly staticky voice called through the speaker.

Jude and Alvin stood in front of the door, waiting for Leia to come get them. Per usual, Alvin was dressed to impress, from his slicked back hair to his shiny, patent leather shoes. His suit, of Elympion design and perfectly tailored to his shape, was dark gray. He kept the palette neutral with black shoes and a charcoal button down, using a maroon scarf to add in a pop of color. Jude, on the other hand, kept it a bit more casual with dark wash jeans and a white sweater, topped with an oversized gray peacoat.

“Hey, guys!  Glad you could make it,” Leia said, wrapping up Jude and Alvin in a big hug. She was glittering in her sequined dress and high heels. “My apartment’s this way. Come on!” She took Jude’s hand, practically dragging him down the hall. Alvin chuckled.  Some things never changed. 

Leia’s tax bracket, however, did seem to change, and it showed. Over the years she’d developed a real talent for journalism, and made her way up the ranks into a lead writing position. She’d moved up from Jude and Alvin’s shabby neighborhood in Duval into a modest 4th floor apartment in downtown Trigleph, which she shared with Elle.

Gentle jazz music floated through the air as the three of them stepped inside.  Leia’s apartment had a modern look, with light gray walls and faux hardwood floors. Aside from a curated wall of photographs behind the television and a fluffy cream colored rug under the coffee table, her decor was fairly minimalist. The open kitchen and living room space was immaculately clean -- a welcome deviation from her usual clutter. She and Elle had probably spent at least a few hours making the place spotless.  Balan stood at the counter, mixing drinks, while Nova and Vera chatted on the sofa.  Elle was busy fiddling with wires behind the television.

“Well, look who it is!” Nova said, standing up and beaming. “Jude Mathis and Alvin Svent, I haven’t seen the two of you in ages.” Though she’d left Spirius a long time ago, she still found herself immersed in customer service, working full time as a train attendant. She seemed happier, though, her smile more genuine. She’d grown her hair out, too, and wore it in a tastefully disheveled chignon. 

“Speak for yourself,” Balan chimed in. “I can’t seem to get Jude to leave the lab these days, and his pesky roommate has a tendency to tag along. Twilight shochu, anyone?”

Alvin snorted, accepting a glass. “Nice to see you too, dearest cousin,” he said.

“All right, suckers,” said Leia, shuffling a deck of cards in her hands. “Who wants to play poker?”

The group spent some time gathered around the coffee table, cracking jokes and playing games. Elle played hostess, fetching drinks and whipping up hors d'oeuvres. Alvin, naturally, was a skilled poker player, with years of practice under his belt. Balan had a few tricks up his sleeve as well, managing to cling on to his chips almost until the end. Nova and Leia, both terrible at maintaining poker faces, were out of the game almost immediately. Jude, ever the strategist, had a winning streak going for a while. Ultimately, however, Vera was the champion.

“Whoa!” Nova said, watching in awe as her sister raked in the entire pile of winnings. “How did you do that?” 

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me,” Vera said simply, and took a sip of wine.

“King’s cup!” Elle declared, scooting next to Leia.  She placed an empty glass mug on the table.  “Let’s play king’s cup next!”

Leia narrowed her eyes at Elle. “How do you know what king’s cup is?” She said.

“That’s classified!” Elle chirped, smiling mischievously. “Come on, let’s play!”

“You are  _ not  _ drinking,” Leia said.

“I’ll just use juice,” said Elle, shrugging and grabbing the deck of cards.  “Who’s in?”

“Three again?!” Jude whined twenty minutes later. He was having rotten luck with this game. Jude rarely drank to begin with, but with all these cards working against him, he was getting tipsy fast.

Alvin laughed, leaning into Jude’s shoulder. “Ooh, tough luck,” he said.  “You’d better drink that. Unless you want me to get that for you,” he added, reaching towards Jude’s glass.

Jude slapped his hand. “Rules are rules,” he huffed, and took three sips of his drink. He made a sour face afterward.

“Like a champ,” said Alvin, thudding him on the back.  “All right, my turn,” he said, picking up a card. “Two. Two for you, my friend,” he said, making finger guns at Balan.

Balan rolled his eyes and took his drinks.

“Queen!” Nova announced after drawing her card. “Time to drink, ladies.” Leia, Vera, Nova, and Elle all clinked their glasses together and took a sip.

Vera drew a card and placed her thumb on the table, flipping the card to reveal a six. Everyone else scrambled to plant their thumbs as well. Jude, who wasn’t paying attention, groaned when he noticed everyone else giggling at him with their thumbs on the table.  He took a drink.

Balan grabbed another card. “Eight,” he said, “pick a mate.” He pointed at Alvin. “Now you have to drink whenever I drink for the rest of the game.”

“What? Why me?” Alvin said.

“Payback’s a bitch,” he said, winking and taking a sip of his drink. Per the rules, Alvin took a drink as well.

By the game’s end, Jude was made to sit on Alvin’s lap, Nova was forced to speak in rhymes, and Leia had lost so many mini games that her speech was slurring. Jude drew the last card -- a king.  

“King’s cup!” Elle announced, the only one in the group who was completely sober.

Jude groaned, burying his head in his hands.  “Just my luck,” he said. “It would take the entire circle of cards to find the last king, and I would be the one to get it.” He reached for the cup at the center of the table.  It was filled with the drinks of the previous 3 king holders: Balan’s watered down shochu, Leia’s moscato, and Elle’s grapefruit juice. He added his red wine until it filled to the top and swallowed thickly.  “Ugh. Down the hatch,” he said, and chugged the entire thing. To his surprise, it wasn’t that bad.

“‘Atta boy, honors student,” Alvin said, leaning his head over Jude’s shoulder. His breath, heavy with booze, tickled Jude’s neck and gave him goosebumps.

“Knock it off!” Jude said, laughing. His face was flushed red, both from the drinks and the embarrassment. “I haven’t been a student in years!”

“Oh, hey!” Elle said, pointing at the clock. “The countdown’s going to start soon!”  She kneeled over by the TV, pushing some buttons.  She connected a cord to her phone, and another one to a small camera that was on top of the television. She dialed in a number, flipped some switches, and Elize appeared on the screen.

“There you are!” Elize said, Teepo wiggling with excitement behind her. They appeared to be in the Sharilton Manor’s foyer. Auj Oule’s time zone was 12 hours behind them, making it the early afternoon there.  “I was wondering when you guys would call in.”

“Happy New Year!” Leia said, waving from her spot at the coffee table.

“It’s not the new year yet,” Teepo said. “You’ve still got ten minutes!”

“Yeah, yeah, we know,” said Driselle, showing up by Elize’s side with Rowen and Chancellor Marcia. “You guys doing anything special for the countdown?”

“You bet!” Elle said, grinning. “We’ve got a pretty sweet view from Leia’s place. How about you?”

“I’m afraid not,” Rowen said, shaking his head. “Gunpowder usage is currently restricted, so the Sharilton fireworks were cancelled this year. We’re not sure what we’ll be doing tonight.” It wasn’t terribly surprising, considering the political upset that had just taken place. 

“Oh, that’s too bad,” Elle said, but then she smiled.  “Wait a minute, I have an idea.”  She took the camera off the top of the television, and put it on the windowsill facing outside. “There, now you should be able to see it. You can celebrate the new year early.”

“Now we can’t see you, though!” Teepo said.

“Don’t worry about it,” said Elle. “I’ll put the camera back after the show, so you can see us then.”

Leia slid open her glass doors and ushered everyone over to the balcony, squeezing them all in together to fit in the small space. Several neighbors seemed to have the same idea, settling into their spots on their balconies and on the street to catch the show. The stars were dim tonight, faded out by the twinkling city skyline. 

“If anyone wants my last kiss of the new year, now’s your chance!” Leia said, giggling.

“Here you go,” said Elle, plopping Rollo into Leia’s arms.

“Aww, Rollo! You casanova, you!” Leia said, scratching behind his ears. She smooched him on top of his head. He whined, but seemed to tolerate the affection all the same.

Jude looked out over the ocean and felt a cold chill wash in from the sea breeze. He shivered a little bit, wishing he had thought to bring his jacket outside with him.

“Looks like your booze coat is wearing off,” Alvin observed, scooting up to him from behind. He wrapped his arms around Jude’s torso.

“Aren’t you touchy-feely this evening?” Jude said.

“Sorry, I’m a cuddly drunk. Want me to back off?”

“No, it’s all right. I don’t mind.” He gave a blissful sigh and relaxed, grateful for the warmth. It wasn’t something he would readily admit, but Leia was right. All the extra hours of work, cooped up by himself in the lab and in his room, were weighing down on him. He didn’t realize just how much he missed simple human contact, and he was more than happy to accept it. He let himself lean into Alvin’s chest, ignoring the curious stares coming from his companions.

“Another year down,” Alvin said, leaning back into him. “Can you believe it’s been about seven years since we met, kid?”

“You know, I’m really not much of a kid anymore,” Jude said idly.

Alvin laughed, shaking his head. “Yeah, you’re right,” he said. “You’re certainly not that timid little teenager you were when we first met. You’re all grown up now.”

“Don’t be condescending.”

“No, really, I mean it,” Alvin said. “You’ve grown a lot. You’ve gone from a baby-faced medical student to saving the world twice, and chances are you’re on the way to saving it a third time. You’ve already accomplished more than some people do in an entire lifetime. I admire you, Jude.” 

“Th-thanks,” he stuttered, feeling the tips of his ears turning pink. “I admire you, too.”  

Jude swallowed, his stomach slightly queasy. Something felt a little off.  His pulse had quickened, and his face felt warm. He felt… nervous? No, that wasn’t it. Giddy, perhaps. The sensation was familiar, but he wasn’t sure what it was. He wondered if he’d had too much to drink.

“Oh! Oh! Here it comes!” Elle said, bouncing up and down.  “Ten, nine, eight…”

Outside of their balcony, they could hear the crowd counting in unison, waiting for midnight. Jude was quiet, trying to sort his thoughts.

“Seven, six, five…”

Elize, Teepo, Driselle, Rowen, and Marcia watched the Trigleph skies from their screens, grinning in anticipation for the celebration on the other side of the world.

“Four, three, two…”

Jude felt Alvin’s hand brush up against his.  He placed his hand on top.

“One!”

“Happy New Year!” Everyone shouted, as lights flashed from the ocean below. Rockets soared through the air in brilliant lights and colors, their explosions echoing across the buildings. The crowd cheered and rattled their noisemakers.

Suddenly, one of the rockets slammed into the pier, setting it ablaze. Screams came from the ground below as people began to scatter. The lights in the buildings were instantly extinguished as the power went out, and jubilation gave way to fear.  Gunshots and screams echoed below them.

  
Jude froze.   _ These aren’t fireworks,  _ he realized, his eyes widening.  _ This is an attack. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: Where I’m from, King’s Cup is called Circle of Death, and there’s a can of beer at the center of the circle instead of a cup. Every time you draw a card, you have to stick it under the tab on the can. Whoever opens the can with their card loses, and has to chug the entire beer. After looking it up on Wikipedia, it turns out that there are plenty of regional differences to the game. I don’t even drink that much but I love… studying… drinking games??? lmao


	3. Captive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While trying to save the victims of a terrorist attack in Trigleph, Jude finds himself in a very unfavorable situation.

“Everyone, get inside!” Leia shouted, herding everyone in.  She slammed the door shut behind her, the sound of gunfire deafening even from the inside. An errant rocket slammed into the side of the building, rattling the furniture. Shots continued to echo from below.

“What are you doing?” Vera asked Jude, who was scrambling to throw on his jacket.

“People could be seriously hurt,” he said, buttoning it up. “I need to go out there and help.”

“In the middle of an attack?” Balan said, surprised. “Are you nuts?”

“Probably,” Jude replied, slinging his bag over his shoulder. “Stay safe. I’ll come back when everything dies down.”

Leia grabbed his shoulder. “There’s no way we’re letting you go out there alone,” she said, her staff in hand. Alvin was getting ready to go outside as well.

Jude nodded. “Understood. Thanks.” He opened the door and ran down the stairs, the haze of liquor quickly being replaced by adrenaline. Leia and Alvin followed him in tow. 

With the exception of Alvin, who still occasionally took merc work during the off season, none of them had needed to fight since Origin’s Trial. It was risky to head outside while they were still rusty, but it couldn’t be helped. Jude hoped they would be able to make it through with minimal damage.  They rushed out into the streets, searching through the haze of smoke. 

Minutes earlier, Trigleph’s port had been celebrating the new year.  Now it was a war zone. Civilians ran through the chaos, trying to seek shelter where they could. Smoke billowed out from the pier.  It was unclear who was responsible for the attacks. Jude scanned the crowd, looking for survivors in need of aid. Leia and Alvin, meanwhile, spread out to take down any aggressors they could find.

Jude spotted a woman lying on the ground.  He rushed over to her side, kneeling down next to her.  She was curled up in the fetal position, clutching her stomach. Blood trickled through her fingers. Her face was pale. “Hang on,” said Jude, holding his hands over her.  He focused as hard as he could -- it wasn’t easy, given how thin the mana was here -- and summoned healing magic to her.  Slowly, the wound began to repair itself.

“You’re… Rieze Maxian,” she said, her breath ragged. She let her hand drop.

“Yeah,” said Jude, continuing to heal the wound. “I am.”

She coughed weakly. “Why is this happening?” She asked. “You’re not one of them, are you?”

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Jude replied.  After the wound fully closed, he extended a hand to her. “And probably not. We need to get you somewhere safe. Can you stand?” 

The woman nodded, wincing as she pulled herself up into a kneeling position. “Thank you,” she said, reaching out to take his hand, but then she gasped.

Jude felt someone grab him from behind.  He yelped, but as soon as his mouth was open, the assailant stuffed a rag into his mouth. A chemical, sickly sweet scent reached his nostrils, and his vision grew hazy. He struggled, but he felt his muscles slackening and he fell to his knees. As much as he willed his limbs to move, they would not obey.  He could hear shouting, but the words were hollow and he was unable to parse them. It felt like his head was submerged underwater. His eyes rolled back and he fell unconscious.

Jude awoke with a start. 

It was pitch dark. His head had a dull ache, and he had no idea where he was. A tiny crack of light came through the door, but it wasn’t enough to help him see anything. His hands and ankles were bound with thick, scratchy rope. It seemed that whoever attacked him had tied him to a chair. From what he could tell, though, he had no major injuries. 

Jude sat still and tried to piece together what had just happened. He started by retracing his steps. He was at Leia’s, there were explosions, he was outside, he was healing somebody, and then... he shuddered. Was this some kind of trap? Who was behind this? Why did they want him? Was he alone, or were others captured as well? How long had he been in this room? When would he be allowed to leave? Would he be allowed to leave at all? These questions rattled around in his head, and he had a feeling he wouldn’t receive the answers anytime soon. He took a deep breath, trying not to panic.

“Hey, is anyone there?” Jude asked. He was met with silence. “Hello?” He said, a little louder this time.  There was still no response. There wasn’t much he could do at this point, so he waited.

And he waited.

And he waited.

And he waited.

As nerve wracking as being held hostage was, it was also very boring. Unable to see or interact with his environment, Jude found himself drifting in and out of sleep. He closed his eyes and his head drooped down.

_ He was standing in the Trigleph market. It was empty. Rows of stalls, their canopies bleached and faded in color, stretched across the cobblestone roads with no wares and no attendants. The trees were barren, as if it were the middle of winter.  The sun, however, shined down on Jude like it was mid-summer. The sky was a bright blue, stretching across the horizon without a single cloud. There was no wind and an unnatural silence filled the air. He was alone. Completely alone. _

Jude woke up again. It was still dark. He was still tied to the chair. His stomach growled. He fell back asleep.

_ For a moment, he thought he saw his father’s face when he looked at himself in the mirror. When he blinked, it was gone. Jude patted his face dry with a towel and walked back to his bedroom.  _

_ The stacks of books and research had gone wild, stretching out to the sky above and twisting and blooming like vines. Jude frowned. That wasn’t supposed to happen. He knew which journal he needed, so he pulled it off the wall. A pile of other journals, upset by the disturbance, dropped to the floor and melted away. What a waste, he thought.  _

_ Jude tried to read the notes in his hands, but the text twisted and morphed into a series of runes. He tried to stare the paper down into submission, as if he could convince the words to make sense to him through willpower alone, but they blurred and went out of focus. He sighed. His research was being very uncooperative today. _

_ “Fine, do what you want,” Jude said. _

_ One line of text made itself legible on the page: “I admire you, Jude.” He caught the faint scent of leather, bourbon, and gunmetal. There was an ache in his chest. _

The door creaked open, jolting Jude awake. Light flooded into the room, revealing a short, lean figure.  He was dressed in black from head to toe, in somewhat baggy garments that concealed his shape. “I see you’ve finally woken up,” he said, his voice muffled behind a facial mask. 

Jude nodded, unsure of how to proceed. He didn’t know how dangerous this man was, and he figured it was best not to provoke him while his movement was restricted.

“I suppose you’re wondering why you’re here,” the stranger said, shifting his weight to one leg to the other and crossing his arms.

Jude nodded again.

“Well, that’s too bad,” he said. “Your purpose is confidential. Strict orders. You see, I happen to work for someone important. Very, very important. Kind of a huge deal.” He placed one hand on his hip and leaned in. “And for some reason, this person seems to think you’re special. Wanted me to bring you back alive.”

“I see,” Jude said, looking down. He felt slightly relieved -- at least he wasn’t likely to die from this encounter. But why was the kidnapping necessary? “Couldn’t you have just asked me to go with you?” he asked, tilting his head.

He was answered with a swift slap to the face. “I did not give you permission to talk,” the stranger said, his voice rough.  

Jude recoiled slightly, his cheek stinging from the sudden impact.  _ That was uncalled for _ , he thought, but he made no comment.

“Remember, I said that  _ my boss _ wanted you back alive. Personally, I would like nothing more than to rip the soul from your body with my bare hands, but we can’t all have what we want.  Maybe if I’m lucky, I can do as I please once we’re finished with you.” He had a wicked grin on his face.

Jude didn’t make the mistake of speaking again. His voice sounded familiar, but he wasn’t sure if he actually knew this person, or if he was just a particularly violent fellow who’d seen too many good-cop-bad-cop shows. He didn’t want to find out. He looked away from his assailant.

“I did not give you permission to ignore me!” the stranger growled. He stomped on Jude’s foot, causing him to yelp, and then swung his fist at his abdomen. It collided with Jude’s solar plexus, knocking the wind out of him.  He laughed darkly as Jude doubled over, struggling to regain his breath. “Hah, it’s a good thing my boss didn’t give me any details as to what condition you should be in when I bring you back,” he mused. 

Jude braced himself, waiting for another attack, but the man just sighed. “Well, this is no fun,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “There’s no challenge to beating up someone who can’t fight back.”

“I can appreciate that,” Jude wheezed.

The man simply grunted in response. “In the meantime, I’ve got nothing else to do with you. Boss should be here in a couple hours. Sit tight.” He pivoted on his heel and sauntered out of the room. The door clicked shut and Jude found himself all alone again.

Jude groaned. He would be able to fix himself up just fine once he was free, but with nothing else to do it was hard not to fixate on his injuries. For such a small statured guy, his assailant could sure pack a wallop. His face still stung, and he had a feeling that his cheek had swollen a little. His gut was faring a bit worse -- not only did he have bruising to deal with, but he was starting to get very cranky from hunger.  He sighed and tilted his head back, wondering how Leia and Alvin were faring. Since they were armed, it was unlikely they were captured, but he couldn’t help but worry about them.

He didn’t have to worry for long, though. The door swung open again, light spilling into the room once. “Jude!” a familiar female voice called out to him, and he could see a silhouette in the doorway. She flipped a switch on the wall.

Jude swore under his breath as he tried to reorient himself to the light flooding the room. After adjusting his vision, he observed his surroundings -- it was a small office room, with a simple conference style table and chairs. No windows, so it was likely in a basement. He looked over towards the door and saw--

“Milla!” he gasped.

There she stood in front of him, spirit made flesh once more. She smiled at him warmly. “I’m glad you’re safe,” she said, approaching him. She knelt in front of him and began untying his ropes.

Jude sat still, completely dumbstruck.  He hadn’t seen her in five years, and suddenly she’d reappeared in his life as if nothing had happened.  Hell, she _ looked  _ as if nothing had happened -- her hair was still long and wild, her eyes still a brilliant red, her body as if it hadn’t aged a day.  He couldn’t help but stare at her as she fiddled with the knots. “It’s been a long time,” he said softly.

“It has,” Milla said, slipping the last knot free.  She stood up and brushed herself off.  “We can talk later. Let’s get you out of here.” She extended a hand to Jude.

He nodded and took it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that captor is... uh, kind of a dick. I have a reason for him being relatively easy on Jude, though, and it's not just that torture scenes make me queasy, ha.
> 
> See you next Tuesday!


	4. Borrowed Blankets and Instant Ramen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After their escape, Milla and Jude head over to Balan's apartment in the middle of the night.

As soon as they were sure they weren’t being followed, Jude and Milla ducked into an alleyway. They sat down on the back steps of a closed cafe, their faces lit only by the dim glow of apartment buildings upstairs.  Jude leaned back against the cold brick, staring at Milla. He still couldn’t believe that she was here. She hadn't aged a day since he last saw her. It was one of the perks of not keeping a corporeal form around, he figured. Spirits above, she was beautiful.

“Where do we go from here?” Milla asked.

“I don’t know,” Jude said. A strange concoction of emotions swelled up in his chest. He could pinpoint a few of them: he was relieved that she had come for him, happy that he could see her face and hear her voice again, a little upset that it took this long for her to come back (even if that desire was a little selfish). He also felt guilty that he had pushed her so far back in his thoughts over the past five years -- it wasn’t easy to think about her, given the lack of closure in her last departure, but he knew it wasn’t fair to blame her for that. He swallowed. “I’m not sure what to do next. I mean, it’s been so long, and I don’t know how long until you disappear again.”

Milla gave him a bittersweet smile. “I understand,” she said, placing her hand on his knee. “What I’m asking, though, is where should we go tonight? Your apartment’s probably not a safe place right now.”

Jude gave a nervous chuckle. “Oh, that’s what you meant,” he said, scratching the back of his head. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be,” she said. “I know you have a lot to process right now. I’m sorry I couldn’t meet with you again sooner.”

Jude placed his hand on top of hers. “I can’t say it doesn’t hurt,” he admitted. “I’m glad you’re here now, though. We can process this later.”

Milla nodded. “Understood,” she said. “I don’t think any of the trains are running at this hour. Is there somewhere here in Trigleph you can go?”

He had to stop and think about it. Leia’s place was out -- it was probably not smart to go back to where he’d been abducted, in case his captors were waiting to ambush him again. Even if he could get to Duval, his apartment was probably another easy target. He wasn’t sure where Nova or Vera lived, and he didn’t have the Gald to stay at an inn tonight. He could only think of one other option: “Let’s stop at Balan’s tonight,” he said. “It’s only a few blocks from here.” He wished he hadn’t left his GHS at Leia’s so he could call ahead, but he figured he’d be forgiven for the interrupted sleep. His stomach growled angrily, and he hoped maybe Balan would feed him, too.

They made their way through the winding cobblestone streets of Trigleph. “When did you come back?” Jude asked.

“I came back today, right before I rescued you,” she said.  She furrowed her brow as she walked. “I’m not sure how I got here, though. I think I was summoned somehow.”

“You’re not sure?” he said.

She shook her head. “I woke up on the floor of a men’s bathroom in the same building where I found you, strangely enough. I couldn’t see anyone else around, so I have no idea who did it. I didn’t know there was anyone left who could do it, let alone in Elympios.”

“Huh. Strange.”

“Yes,” she said. “I started wandering through the building to see if I could find out anything, but it was empty. Then I passed a certain room, and I felt this strangely familiar energy…”

“And that’s when you found me,” Jude said.

“Right. But it’s concerning,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest as she walked. “As I’m sure you’re aware, the mana levels here have reached a critical low over the past few years. It must have taken an immense amount of energy to bring me back to this plane, and I know it won’t be able to support my existence here for long. With the reserves so low, why would someone risk bringing me back?” 

“I’m not sure,” Jude said. “Maybe they think that only the great Maxwell herself would be capable of fixing this mess. I mean, Spyrites have certainly slowed the process, but we’re still rapidly approaching a crisis point.”

Milla sighed. “I’m flattered, really, but this is more your area of expertise.”

“And that’s probably why they kidnapped me,” said Jude. “Something tells me that we were both brought there for a reason. Though, really, I don’t see why they didn’t just ask.”

They arrived at the Freres apartment building, and walked quietly through the hallways until they reached the room they were looking for. Jude gave a gentle knock on the door, bracing himself for a scolding from Balan.

Instead, it was Alvin who opened the door. His eyes were lined with dark circles and his hair was a mess. He was still in the outfit he’d worn for New Year’s, minus the jacket and shoes. Patches of stubble had grown in on his chin, and a pillow was tucked under his arm. He looked exhausted, but relieved. “I’m glad you’re okay,” he said to Jude, his voice rough, and he looked up at Milla. “I imagine I have you to thank for this, Maxwell?”

“It was no trouble,” she said, placing a hand on her hip.

“Good,” he said, leaning in and wrapping his arms around both of them. “It’s been a rough couple of days. Please come inside.” 

Jude and Milla followed him in, taking their shoes off at the door. It seemed that Alvin had set up camp in the living room, a blanket draped over the sofa. The only light in the room came from the television, which was set at a low volume. Balan was probably sleeping in his room.

“I’m a little surprised to see you here,” said Jude. “I thought you would have gone home.”

Alvin shook his head. “Not a chance,” he said. “Not while you were still missing. Leia, Balan, and I were looking all over for you, you know.” 

Jude felt a twinge of guilt in the pit of his stomach. “I’m so sorry,” he said. “I wasn’t careful enough. I was captured, and--”

Alvin dismissed him with a wave of his hand. “Like I said, I’m glad you’re okay. And it looks like you’ve brought back an old friend, too. I want to know what happened, but it can wait until morning.”

Jude’s stomach growled very, very loudly.

“Alternately, how about you tell me about it while I make the two of you some food?” Alvin said, grinning.

Twenty minutes and two steaming bowls of instant ramen later, Alvin was caught up to speed and Jude and Milla were very satisfied with their meal. Jude looked over at the clock: it was 4 AM already. “Yikes. Sorry for keeping you awake at this hour,” he said sheepishly.

“Don’t worry about it,” Alvin said, taking the empty bowls from the table.  He started rinsing them off in the sink. “I’ve hardly slept at all these past couple of days, and I was wide awake when you came over.”

“I imagine I had something to do with that, huh?” Jude said, casting his gaze downward.

“Well, yeah,” Alvin admitted, putting a hand on his shoulder. “I was worried about you. We all were. But at least you’re safe now.” He looked over to Milla, smiling softly. “And even if the circumstances aren’t ideal, it’s good to see you, too, Milla.”

Milla nodded, smiling back at him.

“We can figure out what to do next in the morning, but for now, we should try to get some sleep.” Alvin reached into the top of the coat closet, pulling out a couple of spare blankets and pillows. He tossed a set over to Milla, and handed one to Jude. “Balan’s only got the two couches, but I can take the floor tonight.” He stretched his arms over his head, cracking his knuckles and spine.

Milla nodded sleepily, and trudged over to the smaller couch. She curled up in a ball, covering herself up in a knitted quilt.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Jude said, concerned. “You look absolutely exhausted. There’s no way I could let you sleep on that floor with a clean conscience.” 

Alvin sighed and shook his head. “You’re always looking out for everyone else, even after you just got abducted. Really, it’s fine. It’s not like I’ve been able to sleep when I had the couch anyway.”

“Would it help if we shared it?” Jude asked without thinking. He then froze in place, realizing what he just said. That was a little too forward, wasn't it?

Alvin blinked. “Uh, yeah, sure. If that’s what you want. It might be a bit cramped.” 

Jude swallowed, grateful that Alvin kept such a good poker face. After the emotional whiplash he’d experienced over the last couple days, he wasn’t sure if he could handle his teasing right now. “I don’t mind. Thanks.”

“Sure thing,” said Alvin, lying down on the couch. He scooted himself towards the back, patting the space in front of him.

Jude timidly curled up in front of Alvin, pulling the blanket up over the both of them. He remembered that night on Leia’s balcony, vividly recalling the warmth he felt before when they were wrapped up close together like this. He was sure that Alvin hadn’t forgotten that night, either. Jude was grateful that Alvin couldn’t see the flustered look on his face, and hoped that his rapid heartbeat wouldn’t give him away.

As if to reassure him, Alvin wrapped an arm around Jude’s torso and pulled him in. “I’m glad you’re safe,” he mumbled, ruffling Jude’s hair with his other hand. He traced circles around Jude’s scalp with his fingertips, eliciting a contented sigh from him.

Jude felt his breathing slow into tandem with Alvin’s, and he began to relax. He looked over to Milla, whose skin was illuminated by the glow of the late night shopping channel. She was in a deep sleep, a thin line of drool hanging from her lips as she snored softly. Her hair, as wild and untamed as ever, framed her face and cascaded down to the floor. Despite his best efforts to forget, he still adored her. This was something he’d have to deal with later. For now, he would try to be grateful for what time he had.

He noticed that Alvin’s hands had gone limp, and that his breathing had gotten significantly heavier. He craned his neck gently to find that Alvin was sound asleep, his head resting upon Jude’s shoulder. He smiled. It was about time he’d gotten some rest. And to think only a couple of days ago, Alvin had been the one giving Jude grief about not sleeping.

  
As the spokeswoman on TV gave a product demonstration for her new collection of Spyrite-powered kitchen appliances, Jude felt his eyelids getting heavy. He rolled over, resting his head on Alvin’s chest, and listened closely to the comforting sound of his steady heartbeat. He would have plenty to deal with in the morning, but for now, he would accept this small comfort. He closed his eyes and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damn it, Balan. Why do you only have two couches? It's almost a little too convenient, like a certain fanfiction author would totally take advantage of the situation to write fluff or something. Geez.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed that. Next week, we will resume with the suffering. See you next Tuesday.


	5. Regroup

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after Jude's escape, everyone regroups at Balan's apartment. Jude, concerned about Milla's health, looks for a way to bring her back to her full strength. Alvin has a proposition.

A beam of morning sun shone down through the window, casting light on the living room floor. Someone had turned the TV off, and the room was silent except for the ceiling fan and the occasional rustle of paper from the kitchen.

Jude carefully wriggled himself out from under Alvin’s arm, trying his best not to disturb him when getting up. Alvin mumbled something incoherent and turned over, still fast asleep. Jude smiled, wondering to himself if Alvin had always been so cute when he was sleeping. The thought caught him a little off guard, and he turned his attention over to Milla instead.

It seemed like Milla hadn’t changed position for the entire night. She was still wrapped up in the blanket, perfectly still except for her steady breathing. Her face looked unusually pale, though -- maybe it wasn’t just the glow of the television that made it look that way last night. He made a mental note to check up on her when she woke up. 

In the kitchen area, Balan sat at the table reading a newspaper. A steaming cup of coffee sat by his right hand. This morning, he’d selected a dull gray mug with a faded Helioborg Research Lab logo and a small chip in the handle. He looked up from his paper, nodded in acknowledgement of Jude’s presence, and went back to reading.

“Morning,” Jude said, taking a seat at the table across from Balan. “Sorry for the lack of notice, but last night was a bit of an emergency. I hope you don’t mind that we crashed here last night.”

“Don’t worry about it,” said Balan, without looking up from the paper. “It’s good to see you’re alive. At the very least, now Leia and Alvin won’t text me every ten minutes.”

“Hah, fair enough. Speaking of, do you mind if I borrow your GHS? I left mine at Leia’s place, and I should probably let her know I’m okay.”

Balan fished the GHS out of his pocket. “Go for it,” he said, sliding it across the table.

_ Hey, Leia.  It’s Jude,  _ he texted.  _ Got abducted on New Year’s. Escaped. Safe at Balan’s now.  _ He hit send. 

Almost immediately, the GHS buzzed with a notification from Leia. He opened it.

_ JUDE. HOLY SHIT. _

It buzzed again. Another message from Leia.  _ I thought you were DEAD. worried sick! WTF _

It buzzed a third time.  _ Heading over now. Be there in like 5 ok??? _

Jude typed up a response.  _ Wait, not yet. Alvin and Milla are still sleeping. I’ll tell you everything a bit later, promise.  _ He hit send.

Another buzz.  _ They can deal. _

Yet another buzz.  _ Wait, Milla? What? Coming over now.  _ Jude sighed, placing the device on the table. 

Balan arched an eyebrow. “I take it she’s thrilled?” he said, looking up from the paper.

Jude nodded. “That’s one way of putting it. She says she’ll be over in a few minutes.” He gave him an apologetic look.

Balan sighed. “That girl… Ugh, fine. I guess I’ll get out of my pajamas.” He shrugged and stood up from his chair. “Go ahead and let her in when she gets here.” With that, he walked over to his bedroom, shutting the door behind him.

Jude heard a rustling of blankets, and turned to find Alvin awake and sitting on the couch. He seemed relaxed, reclining against the back of the seat. Jude found himself staring at Alvin’s face, taking in the details: the sharp slope of his stubble-dotted jawline, the morning light reflected in his tired copper eyes, the gentle curvature of his lips. Tiny slivers of grey swept through his thick brown hair. Jude wondered idly if Alvin had always been this handsome, and found himself taking a seat next to him. “Good morning,” he said.

“Morning,” Alvin said, stifling back a yawn. He stretched and draped an arm along the top of the couch, letting his hand rest on Jude’s shoulder.  “Sleep all right?”

“Yeah, thanks,” said Jude. “You?”

“Like a baby,” Alvin replied cheerfully. “Though you looked more like one than I did. You’re adorable when you’re sleeping, you know that?”

“Oh, stop,” Jude said, rolling his eyes. A grin played at the corner of his lips. Internally, his stomach did a flip. Since when did Alvin think he was adorable?

His thoughts were interrupted by a loud, rapid knocking at the door.  He cringed, looking over at Milla. To his surprise, she still slept soundly. She had to be in a pretty deep sleep to make it through that noise without waking up, he thought. Maybe being summoned back into the human realm was an exhausting process.

Jude opened the door, and was greeted by a swift, full body hug. “Hi, Leia,” he said, letting her squeeze him and pick him up like a boa constrictor. Elle stood behind her, looking a bit embarrassed by her roommate’s behavior. She gave Jude a little wave and followed into the apartment.

Leia put Jude down and sighed deeply. “Heavens above, Jude, you scared the crap out of me. What happened?”

“I’d like to know as well,” said Balan, coming back into the room.

“It’s a bit of a long story,” said Jude, “but…”

 

“Whoa,” Leia said, after Jude finished explaining what had happened. “That’s nuts.”

“Yeah,” agreed Balan, sliding his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “A classic chloroform rag abduction? I’d say the perp has seen too many action movies. If you weren’t already drunk, you likely would have woken up a few minutes after he took the rag away. Honestly, it would have been less risky just to take a blunt object and whack you on the back of the head with it.”

“I’m, uh, glad he didn’t do that,” Jude said, rubbing the back of his head at the thought. “First of all, ouch. Second of all, I probably wouldn’t be much use to his client if I had brain damage. I’m okay at combat and healing, but I’m more well known for my research.”

“And then Milla found you, right?” Elle said, crossing her arms. “Speaking of which, it’s already noon. I’m surprised she’s still sleeping.”

“Yeah, especially considering all that noise you made at the door earlier,” added Jude, shooting Leia a dirty look. She stuck her tongue out at him in response.

“No worries, I’ll wake her,” Alvin said.  He crept over towards the sofa where Milla slept and kneeled down next to her. “Hey, Milla,” he said in a soft voice, sweeping her curly bangs out of her face. He grasped her shoulder gently and gave it a small shake. “Rise and shine. You all right, sweetheart?” Milla grunted, withdrawing further into her little ball of blanket.

Jude couldn’t help but stare as Alvin tended to her. This was so different from the Alvin he was used to. He’d opened up to his friends considerably over the past few years, but this softness was still a side to him he didn’t exhibit often. The last time Jude could remember seeing him like this was when Elle was 10 years old and sick with the stomach flu. He’d stayed at her side for days, making sure she was cared for… even when he caught the bug himself. Leia wound up having to take care of both of them the following weekend.

Alvin looked up at Jude. “Hey, could you come over here for a sec? I don’t think she’s doing too hot.” 

“Huh? Y-yeah, sure,” Jude said, pulling himself back to earth from the memory. He walked over to them and knelt down. He took the back of his hand and gently placed it against Milla’s forehead. There was no fever, but her skin was cold and clammy. Jude then took Milla’s arm, placing two fingers over the inside of her wrist, and checked her pulse. It was faint, and much slower than he expected, but it was still there. 

“Is she alright?” Leia asked, leaning over the couch. “I can get her some water or something if she needs it.”

“I’d appreciate that. Thanks,” Jude said, monitoring her breathing. It had been some time since he’d served as a medical doctor, but he found that it was something he’d never really forgotten. After his brief assessment, he gave a sigh of relief. “At the very least, it looks like she’s in stable condition for now.” He took the glass of water from Leia, and tried to get Milla to sit up for him. After a little bit of prodding, he succeeded.

“Thank you,” Milla mumbled, taking a large gulp from the glass. She shivered, handing it back to Jude and wrapping herself back up in the blankets.

“It looks like you’re mana deficient,” Jude said, placing his hands on Milla’s shoulders. He concentrated, willing some of his own mana to flow through his fingertips and into her skin. Some of the color returned to her cheeks. “Does that help at all?” He asked.  Milla nodded.

Alvin sighed. “Mana deficient, huh? That’s not too surprising, considering the state of Elympios right now. It’s difficult enough to sustain any spirit activity around here, let alone that of the legendary Milla Maxwell.”

“Yeah,” Elle added. “I don’t know if you heard about this, Jude,” she said, “but Trigleph just enacted an emergency energy curfew at night in an attempt to slow down energy consumption.” 

“Oh, that’s right, you missed that,” Leia said, placing a hand on her hip. “Yeah, that terrorist attack on New Year’s prompted a huge pushback against Spyrix usage. Rumor has it that the culprits weren’t actually trying to hurt anyone, and that their main target was the city power grid. They figured that if they took out the source, they could bide time for the surrounding spirit life. And the crazy thing is, the Elympion government is actually taking their demands seriously, and they’ve started regularly cutting off the generator. No Spyrix usage from 6 PM to 6 AM on weekdays, and anyone found using a personal Spyrix device during those times without proper authorization are heavily fined. I’ve got an article on this coming out in a few days.”

“I see,” said Jude, nodding. “I wish they would have enacted something like this sooner, but it’s better late than never, I guess.” Still, would it be enough? And if the terrorists’ target was the power grid, then why did they bother abducting him? If he was actively researching alternatives to Spyrix, then he was supposed to be their ally, right? What would have made them think they had to take him by force? 

“You’re worrying too much,” Alvin said, throwing an arm over his shoulder. “Relax, we’ll figure this all out.” 

“Right,” said Jude, nodding. “In the meantime, though, we should probably figure out what to do to help Milla. I can probably supplement her mana supply temporarily, but I don’t know if I can keep that going long term.”

“Do you think you can take me to Nia Khera?” Milla asked. “If I can summon the Four there, it might return me to my full strength.”

Alvin let out a low whistle, scratching his head. He looked doubtful. “Hmm… not sure on that one. It’ll be difficult, at the very least.”

“Why?” Jude asked.  “Did something happen?”

“Oh, that’s right. I guess you wouldn’t know,” said Leia. “After the attack, the Elympion government immediately placed a ban on all personal travel between Rieze Maxia and Elympios. The gate at Marksburg has been completely sealed off.”

“Hmm. That’s a problem,” Jude said. “Do you think we could get them to make an exception?”

Balan snorted. “Not without a bribe,” he said. “And none of us have that kind of money.”

“Damn. Well, I guess we’re at a bit of a standstill until something changes.” He turned to Alvin. “Do you mind if we keep Milla at our place for the time being?” 

“I was going to suggest it, actually,” Alvin said. “One condition, though.”

“And what’s that?”

“I’m going to be your bodyguard,” he said, standing up. “Anywhere you two go, I go.”

Jude shook his head. “You know I can’t afford to hire you,” he said, grinning at him.

“I’m serious,” Alvin said, extending a hand to Jude. “I don’t care if I lose money on this one. Whoever kidnapped you the first time might still be out there, and I’m not going to risk having you taken away again. And I have a feeling that Milla didn’t show up on accident. She could be in danger, too. Please, just let me protect you -- at least for a couple weeks when this all blows over, okay?”

Jude felt the heat rush to his face. “Okay, I accept. You were really worried about me, huh?” he asked, taking his hand.

Alvin cast his eyes away from him, mildly embarrassed. “Of course I was,” he said, pulling Jude up from the floor. “We all were.” 

“Especially Alvin,” teased Balan. “You should have seen him last night. He was like a lost puppy, pacing up and down the--”

“Can it,” Alvin said sharply through his teeth. “Anyway, you’re safe with me -- both you and Milla.”  
“Just like old times,” Milla said, a warm smile on her face. “It’s good to be back.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leia is definitely the type of person who would send off rapid fire texts when she's excited, lol. See you again next week!


	6. Wilted Bamboo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jude hadn't been handling Milla's absence as well as he'd hoped. A conversation between them opens old wounds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting this chapter a little early this week! I'll be pretty busy tomorrow, so I figured I'd get it out of the way now so I don't forget.
> 
> Caution: This chapter contains NSFW material (and emotional whiplash). Please proceed at your own risk.

Alvin slid the key into the lock, giving it a twist. “Home sweet home,” he said, turning the knob. He propped the door open for Jude and Milla, who stepped inside. 

“Nice place you’ve got here,” Milla said, looking around at the mismatched furniture.

Jude chuckled, guiding her through the living room. “No need to let us down easy, Milla. We know it’s shabby.”

She smiled. “It’s shabby, but it’s very you. I like the personality of it.”

“Thanks, I think,” said Jude, scratching his head. He wasn’t quite sure if that was a compliment or not. “Anyway, you’re more than welcome to take my bed, as long as you don’t mind me working at my desk in the meantime. I’m usually pretty quiet, though.”

Alvin groaned. “Straight back to the grind after all that?”

Jude nodded. “Of course. I haven’t gotten anything done in a few days. I have to catch up.”

Alvin shrugged his shoulders, his voice resigned. “Whatever, suit yourself. I’m going to go take a shower. I’ve been wearing the same outfit for days.”

“You go ahead,” Jude said. “I probably won’t be far behind you on that.”

“Oh, you following me in?” Alvin said, nudging him playfully. 

Jude laughed. “Ass. You know what I meant. I’ll use the shower when you’re done.”

“Roger that,” said Alvin. He ducked into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

“Seems like you two have grown pretty close,” Milla observed, sitting on the edge of Jude’s bed.

“Alvin and me? Yeah, I guess you could say that,” Jude said, ruffling through the papers on his desk. He tried to remember where he left off. “We’re good friends, and we’ve been sharing the apartment for a few years. It’s natural to bond with someone when you live together.”

“Oh, is that all?” Milla said. “I thought you two had maybe transitioned into a romantic relationship.”

Jude dropped his papers, turning beet red. “W-what gave you that idea?!” he sputtered, whirling around to face her.

“Ah, sorry. I didn’t mean to embarrass you,” she said. “You know I’m not exactly fluent in understanding human relations sometimes. I just figured, with the way you were acting around each other… ” she trailed off.

“Yeah, I could see why you’d come to that conclusion,”  Jude said, picking his papers off the floor. He shuffled them back into place. “We’ve been a little bit more… affectionate as of late, I suppose. It’s a recent development. I’m not sure how I feel about it, to be perfectly honest.”

“Isn’t it a good thing?” Milla asked, tilting her head. “Alvin’s a good friend. You two already live together, and if you feel that way, why not embrace it?”

“Ah, I wish it were that easy,” said Jude, with a sad smile. “I don’t really know how he feels about me, and I’m not sure I want to know.”

“Hmm? Why’s that?”

“Well…” Jude looked down. He could feel a blush creeping up his neck again. “I mean, he knows I still carry a torch for you. Hah, I’m pretty sure everyone does.”

“Oh, I see,” said Milla, giving him a sympathetic look. “Jude, I really don’t understand you humans sometimes.” She flopped onto her back, the mattress creaking under her weight.

“We can be a bit confusing,” Jude agreed. He took a seat at the edge of the bed next to her.

“You have so much capacity to love,” she continued, twirling a piece of her hair around her finger as she spoke. “It’s something I deeply admire about humanity. It’s part of what draws me to it. But with so much love to give, why do you humans cage it with so many rules? It’s frustrating.” She looked up at him, the intensity in her gaze causing him to flinch. “Jude, I know you love me.”

Jude could feel his face burning. His heart leapt into his throat. “Y-yeah. I do,” he admitted, as much as it hurt to do so. Old feelings, which he thought he’d finally locked away, were bubbling back to the surface.

She smiled, placing a hand on his. “It’s okay. I love you, too,” she said simply, her ruby red eyes gleaming with warmth. 

To his surprise, Jude felt himself recoiling from her touch. As much as he wanted to hear that from her, it felt strange. It was too sudden. He withdrew his hand. “I don’t know if I’m ready to handle this right now,” he said, looking away from her.. “I love you, and I don’t think anything will ever change that. And… it’s not your fault, by any means, but… I think in some ways, it’s really held me back. I’m a little bitter about it.”

“Jude…”

“I’ve been very fortunate,” he continued. “I have a job I love, a passion for this world, and amazing friends. Even when you’re not here with me, I am very satisfied with my life. But, I know my hangups about you have hurt other people. It’s made me bury myself into my work to avoid those feelings, and it’s caused my friends to worry about me. I’ve avoided pursuing other romantic relationships because part of me knew that if you came back I’d just gravitate right back to you. People deserve better than that. Leia… she especially deserves better than that.” His eyes wandered over to the wilted bamboo plant on the windowsill, and he swallowed.

“Did something happen between you two?” Milla asked.

Jude nodded. “With our friendship as strong as it is now, you never would have guessed it, but we had a brief romantic tryst that went up in flames pretty quickly. We didn’t talk to each other for almost six months afterward.”

“Really?” Milla said, her eyes wide. “What happened?”

“Well, it was a couple of years ago…”

_ Jude pulled back from Leia, gasping for air. A thin line of drool fell from the corner of his lips, which were red from both the rush of blood to his face and the lipstick that had smudged all the way down to his chin. Leia responded in kind, grabbing a fistful of jet black hair and pulling him close to her again. He knew, somewhere in the back of his head, that this was all wrong. But damn, it felt good. Clearly, she felt good, too. Why not indulge in this pleasure? He dove in for her neck, making her shiver as he left tiny pink marks on her neck with his teeth. _

_ She clawed her nails down his back, grinding her hips so that the fabric of her purple satin panties rubbed against his grey cotton boxers. He felt a familiar ache in his groin, and he let out a raspy moan. He grabbed her breast, tracing her collarbone with his lips. She’d been there for him from the beginning. She would do anything for him. He would do this for her, he decided. If this would make her happy, he would do this for her. _

_ She was beautiful, he thought, the way her piercing green eyes stared at him in a half-lidded gaze as she gripped his waistband. Beautiful, he thought, the way she pinned him down, her hands fumbling as she ripped the foil off the condom and slipped it on him. So beautiful, he thought, as he thrusted into her, sweat dripping from his skin as profanities dripped from his mouth in a sloppy frenzy. She was beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. He hadn’t done a thing to deserve someone like her. He hoped she could forgive him someday for not giving her the love she deserved. _

_ Jude cried out, his back arching as he came to a climax. He flopped over to the side, panting as he looked over to Leia. Her chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath, too. They stared at each other incredulously, in a drunken stupor of sweat, endorphins, and disbelief. Feeling a little embarrassed, Jude cleaned himself up, discarded the condom in the trash bin, and lied back down next to her. Her expression was unreadable as she stared up at the ceiling. He considered cuddling her, but it seemed strangely inappropriate, so he just lied there awkwardly. _

_ After a long, uncomfortable silence, she started laughing. It started as a small rumble in her stomach, and erupted into a giggle fit.  She laughed loudly, to the point of where it shook the bed. Jude looked over to her quizzically, and she started laughing harder. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes as she laughed, and she doubled over, clutching her stomach. _

_ “What’s so funny?” Jude asked nervously. _

_ Leia took some time to contain herself, and let out a large sigh. She wiped a tear from her cheek. “You know, it’s really funny,” she said, closing her eyes. “I pined after you since we were kids, but I never actually thought it would lead to something like this.” Another tear rolled down her face, landing on her pillowcase. “It turns out, maybe this isn’t what I wanted after all.” _

_ “Leia…” _

_ “You know, I’ve realized something. I know that you’re still holding out for Milla.” Her voice was sad, but she smiled. “This isn’t love. I’m not stupid enough to believe that.” _

_ Jude looked away from her, guilt pooling in the pit of his stomach. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. _

_ “No, don’t be,” she said. “I think… I think this needed to happen. Jude, you mean the world to me and I love you dearly as a friend, but… I don’t think I was ever actually in love with you. I was in love with the idea of being in love with you. I mean, it just made sense to me. I’d be the girl next door, you’d be my sweetheart, we’d fall in love and raise beautiful children and teach them martial arts. You’d be a doctor, I’d be a nurse, and we’d all live happily ever after.” _

_ “Looks like things didn’t quite turn out that way, huh?” Jude said. _

_ “Not in the slightest,” she said, her voice surprisingly caustic. “Not gonna lie, I didn’t picture our whirlwind romance looking like this, sneaking off to my apartment to fuck while Elle’s sleeping over at a friend’s house. This isn’t what love looks like, Jude. We’re just using each other.” _

_ “I’m sorry,” he said again. “You’re right. I thought it would make you happy, but… you deserve better than this.” _

_ “Damn right, I do,” she said, her eyes brimming with tears. “And you deserve better, too. We can’t force each other to feel something that just isn’t there.” She rolled over, taking Jude’s hand and lacing his fingers with hers. “I don’t want this anymore. Don’t get me wrong, the sex was fantastic, but this isn’t right.” She gave a bitter laugh. _

_ “I agree,” Jude admitted, squeezing her hand tightly. “This wasn’t our finest idea. But, if you’re willing to put this behind us… can we please be friends again?" _

_ Leia nodded. “Of course,” she said, fresh tears spilling out from her eyes. “I can’t just throw our entire history away over something like this. I love you, even if I can only love you as a friend.” _

_ Jude pulled her in close and planted a chaste kiss on her forehead. “I love you, too. We’ll get through this, I promise,” he said, rubbing her back in slow, rhythmic circles. He stayed at her side, waiting patiently until her breathing became even and slow. Once she was sleeping soundly, he tiptoed across the room, put his clothes back on, and snuck out of the room, closing the door as silently as possible behind him. _

_ Once he’d left the front door of the building, he slumped to his knees, burying his face in his hands. He couldn’t stop shaking. _

“Jude, you’re crying,” Milla said softly. 

He blinked, and felt his own tears hot on his face. He  _ was  _ crying. When had he started crying? Milla was tracing her fingers softly up and down his back to soothe him. “Sorry,” he said, sniffling. “I wasn’t quite expecting this. It’s a bit embarrassing.”

Milla shook her head. “It’s a lot for someone to go through. I can understand why you’d get upset from talking about it.”

“But how could I do that to her?” he said, his voice cracking.

“Listen to me, Jude,” said Milla. “Mistakes happen. You were young. Clearly, she still treasures you as a friend -- you saw how relieved she was when she found out you were safe. She’s stronger than you give her credit for, you know?”

Jude thought of Leia and the life she’d built for herself. She’d landed herself a steady job in a field she loved, putting passion into her life’s work. She adored living with Elle, who was like the little sister she’d never had. She had a huge heart, and would gladly put her life on the line to help others. “Yeah, you’re right… she is strong,” he said quietly. He made a mental note to call her later -- he never had properly thanked her for trying to rescue him, after all. He also made a mental note to water his damn bamboo plant, if it wasn’t too late.

Now there was only his present situation to deal with.

“Shower’s all yours,” Alvin announced as he stepped out of the bathroom, water dripping from his hair onto the floor. He whistled as he walked past Jude’s doorway, wearing nothing but a white fluffy towel wrapped around his waist. Droplets of water trailed behind him as he sauntered towards his own room.

“Were you raised in a barn?” Jude asked dryly, gesturing at the mini puddles that Alvin had leaked onto the floor.

Alvin poked his head back into Jude’s doorway. “Nope, airship,” he countered with a flashy grin.  He ducked back into the hallway as Jude threw a pillow at him.

Target missed.

  
Jude flopped back onto the bed with an exasperated sigh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rambling author’s notes ahoy! They are not necessary, but feel free to read them if you want to watch me have feelings about stuff.
> 
> So, um, yeah. Wow. I was definitely not expecting for shit to get so heavy so fast. It feels really weird, especially in contrast to all the lighthearted fluff I wrote for the earlier chapters. But then I was all like: “what if Jude’s repressed feelings for Milla actually had some really awful repercussions besides the workaholic thing?” And then part of me was like “well, okay, what would that look like” and then I thought “holy shit, what if it involved pity sex with Leia” and then that first part of me was like “WHOA NO FUCK YOU HOW COULD YOU LEIA IS AN ANGEL” and the second part said “yeah, but do it anyway, you're an asshole who loves melodrama.” So, uh, yeah, it is very melodramatic!! Let me know if you want more of this or if you’d rather I tone it down, please.
> 
> I know that this is primarily a Milla/Jude/Alvin fic, but I also really love Leia a LOT, and I think she deserves so much better than she gets treated as a character sometimes (like I’m one to fucking talk, yikes). But she is so strong!! I love her!! She can make it through anything and she deserves all the happiness in the world!! I swear I will write you a happy ending, Leia!! I’m not sure what it is yet, but you’ll get one, promise!!
> 
> I have so many feelings about all these characters, and I am a monster. Okay, see you next Tuesday.


	7. Energy Curfew

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The night before they leave for Rieze Maxia, Alvin shares some of his insecurities with Jude.

It had been one hell of a week.

Jude stood motionlessly under the showerhead, his head drooped low. He had turned the handle as far as it would go, letting the heat sear his neck and shoulders. The water pressure was never as strong as he wanted it, but at least the clouds of steam that filled the room could partially compensate. He watched the stream of water trail down his chest, trickle over his limbs, swirl around the drain. He tried to think about nothing. 

He was interrupted by a sharp knock. “Hate to ruin your fun, but the energy curfew starts in a few minutes,” Alvin said, his voice muffled by the door. “Don’t want you getting stuck showering in the dark.”

“Oh! Thanks,” Jude said, snapping back to reality.  He quickly lathered, rinsed, and dried himself off. After a quick shave in front of the bathroom sink, he threw on his pajamas and stepped out into the hallway.

When he peeked into his bedroom, Milla was curled up under his covers, fast asleep. The sunset, filtered through his window blinds, cast a soft glow on her. The sight of her left him feeling raw on the inside, so he decided to work on his research in the living room instead. He placed his palm on top of her head, transferred some of his mana over to her, and left.

In the living room, Alvin sat cross legged in a burnt orange easy chair, reading a magazine by candlelight. His hair, now free of its usual cage of hair products, was scattered about his face in a shaggy mane. He’d forgone his usual business attire for a simple white tank top and baggy gray sweatpants. His feet were clad with worn out Teepo slippers -- Elize had made them as a housewarming gift when he and Jude moved in together. Teepo was deeply offended. Alvin loved them.

Jude plopped down onto the overstuffed brown sofa, popping a Spyrite-powered reading light onto the cover of his book,  _ Elympion Pharmaceutical Encyclopedia, Volume I. _ He tried to study its contents, but found himself feeling too drained to retain any of the information.  After reading the same page several times and failing to remember anything it said, he shut the book and placed it on the coffee table.

“Giving up already?” Alvin asked, looking up from the tabloid. “You’ve lost your touch, Dr. Mathis.”

Jude leaned back, looking up at the ceiling. “I’m just not feeling up to it tonight,” he said. 

“Want one of my shitty gossip mags?” Alvin offered. “There’s a juicy scandal unfolding about the fresh mutton empire right now.”

“I’ll pass.” Jude paused for a moment. “Hey, Alvin. Do you still think about Presa sometimes?”

Alvin took a long breath, raking a hand back through his hair. “I try not to, but yeah. Sometimes I do. Why do you ask?”

Jude drew his knees in to his chest, clasping his hands around them. “Just curious, I guess.”

Alvin raised an eyebrow at him. “Bullshit. What happened?”

The direct question caught Jude off guard. Was it really that obvious? He swallowed. “Well, Milla and I had a talk earlier, while you were in the shower. We talked about loose ends.” He thought he saw Alvin’s hands tense up for a moment, but otherwise, he didn’t see much of a reaction. “We left a lot unresolved the last time she left.”

Neither of them said anything for a while. Alvin stared at the candle, watching the flame flicker against the creeping dusk. “... I see,” he said, finally. “I thought you looked upset when I passed the room earlier. I figured something might have happened.”

“It’s kind of funny, actually,” Jude said. “I spent five years trying to move on, knowing that she might never come back. And now that she’s here by some miracle, all my efforts seem to have come undone. Just like that.”

Alvin put his magazine down and sat next to Jude on the couch. “She meant a lot to you, huh? Probably still does.”

“Yeah,” Jude said. “I just don’t know how to handle it right now.”

“Who says you need to handle it right now?” Alvin asked, wrapping his arm around Jude’s back. “You’ve already got a lot on your plate. I mean, I’m not exactly a role model when it comes to interpersonal relationships, but I know Milla. I’m sure she’ll be patient with you while you sort yourself out.”

“You’re probably right,” Jude said, leaning into him. He was warm to the touch, and smelled like aftershave. “Hey, do you remember that huge fight Leia and I had two years ago?”

“You fucked, didn’t you?”

Jude’s jaw dropped, completely flabbergasted. He whipped around and stared Alvin in the face. “W-wait. How did you...?”

Alvin’s eyes grew wide. “Oh, wow.  _ Wow. _ I was kidding, but… oh, shit, I’m right on the money, aren’t I?” 

Jude nodded, placing his hand flat across his face.

Alvin let out a long sigh. “Well, that explains a lot,” he said. “I always wondered what you and Leia could have possibly fought about that would make you stop talking for several months. Neither of you would tell me.”

“We didn’t even fight,” Jude said. “It was just really,  _ really _ awkward for a while.”

“I can imagine,” Alvin said. “Well, if it’s any consolation, you certainly handled it better than Presa and I ever could. It still haunts me sometimes, knowing that I’ll never be able to make it up to her for what I did.” He paused for a moment. “I’ve had to watch her die twice, you know. Did Ludger ever tell you about fractured dimension F-4235?”

“You know he wasn’t much of a talker. What happened in that one again?”

_ The air felt heavy in front of Milla’s shrine, dampened with blood and petrichor. The woods were eerily silent -- a stark contrast to the shouts, bullets, and strikes of metal that had rung out through the trees only minutes before. The Alvin and Agria of this dimension lied crumpled on the forest floor, the warmth leaving their bodies. _

_ “Presa!” Alvin shouted, holding Presa’s body in his arms. She was fading fast. “Talk to me! Presa! Not again...” He grimaced. Leia crouched down next to him, wordlessly summoning healing magic. They both knew it was hopeless. There wasn’t much time left -- for her, or the dimension. The rain began to fall around them. _

_ “You still… not sure?” Presa mumbled, her voice weak. “Do you regret being with me? Do you regret our time together?”  _

_ Alvin stared at her. How was he supposed to answer that? The Alvin in this dimension had never betrayed her the way he did in the prime dimension, but… was he doomed to hurt her no matter what timeline they lived in? If this dimension’s Alvin loved her enough to ask for her hand in marriage, then why would she be asking this right now? _

_ She didn’t wait for him to respond. “I never regretted a single moment with you,” she continued. “Do you?” _

_ It was best to let her down easy. She’d be gone soon anyway. “I don’t regret it either,” he said softly. Strangely enough, he realized that he was telling the truth. As much as he regretted the way he’d ended things, he had no regrets about the time they’d shared together. For better or worse, she was a part of him. “How could I possibly regret it at this point?” _

_ “Al,” she said, reaching out to touch his face. “When did you get so bad at lying?”   _

_ Her words stung, but he let them. After what he put her through, he felt that he deserved it. _

_ “Just take a moment to open your eyes. You’ve found your place,” she murmured, her eyes closing.  _

_ The rain had gone from a trickle to a steady flow. Alvin could feel her slipping away, and his heart sank as he realized that this would be her last memory. “Even at the end, you’re still thinking about me,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. It was cruel that she was destined to meet an unhappy end in this world, too.  _

_ He could hear Ludger activating the chromatus behind him. Time was running short.  _

_ “From the time we came in here, there was no way to avoid this,” Alvin said, though the words felt hollow. He placed Presa gently on the ground and stood up, looking over at Ludger. “Don’t mind me. Do it.” _

_ Ludger nodded, preparing to destroy the ring. _

_ Alvin looked down at Presa one last time. “Presa, I did find my place,” he said. “I won’t leave.” He wasn’t sure how much he meant those words as Ludger crushed the ring into the ground. He felt the universe shatter, falling into pieces around him. With one blink he’d returned to the lobby, feeling like a traitor all over again.  _

“It just sucks,” he continued, shrugging his shoulders. “I thought I was done betraying people, but as soon as I went into that dimension I found myself doing it again anyway.” He paused for a moment. “The scary part was how easy it was. I didn’t hesitate to break her heart this time, either. All I had to do was focus on the mission and get out, no feelings considered.”

“Alvin…”

“As much as you and everyone else have helped me, I still get those urges to use people for my own personal gain and then cut them out. Even after years of getting my shit together, I still don’t know how anyone could trust me. I sure as hell don’t trust me.” 

“Most of it only happened because you were under Gilland’s leash. You did what you had to,” Jude said.

“I guess. But you’d think I’d have gotten past that by now, you know? I couldn’t tell you the number of times I’ve felt the compulsion to just pack up all my shit, find another fake name, and go back to selling information. Hell, that same night, I left the group and seriously considered never coming back.”

“But you did come back,” Jude said simply.

“Huh… Yeah, I guess I did,” said Alvin. He smiled. “I still struggle at trying to be a better person sometimes. But you know what? At least now I have people in my life that are worth that struggle. It makes it a lot easier.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” Jude said, smiling back at him. Alvin chuckled and ruffled his hair.

“Feeling any better?” Alvin asked.

Jude nodded.

“Good,” he said, getting up from the couch. “Now if you’ll excuse me, there’s a story of a certain mutton man that’s demanding my attention.” He grabbed his magazine, sat back in the easy chair, and started reading again.

Shortly after he’d opened the magazine, though, he was interrupted by the ringing of his GHS. He grabbed it off the side table, pressed the talk button, and held it up to his ear. “Hello? … Ah, hey, Yurg. Sorry about the short notice, but thanks for calling me back.”

Jude was about to chastise Alvin for using his device during the energy curfew, but remembered that he’d installed a Spyrite adapter a little while back. He’d be fine. He grabbed his book off the coffee table and attempted to read again, but found himself distracted by Alvin’s phone call.

“Okay… yep… ah, you think that would work? I see… Uh huh… uh huh… Yeah, that part could be kind of tricky, but I think if we make it quick no one will notice… Yep… Yeah, I know. Don’t worry, I’ll cover you if something happens… I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t really important. You know that… Thanks. You’re the best, Yurgen. Say hi to the wife and kids for me. Bye.” He flipped the phone shut.

“What was that all about?” asked Jude, looking up from his book.   
Alvin grinned proudly. “I just landed us a one-way ticket to Rieze Maxia.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mutton! Freeeeesh mutton!
> 
> Okay, I’m done with the flashbacks and the sappy stuff for a little while (as much as I love it). Back to the main adventure!
> 
> And shout out to those really meticulous Let’s Players who are really good at labeling their videos -- makes research so much easier for us fic writers who don’t have the best memory. Special thanks to GeminiGaming, who recorded the entirety of Alvin’s Chapter 4 from ToX2. It made for a great reference. Thanks!!


	8. Cargo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jude, Alvin, and Milla depart for Rieze Maxia with a little help from their friend Yurgen.

“Rise and shine, Doc,” Alvin said, grabbing Jude’s shoulder and giving it a shake. The apartment was still dark.

Jude grumbled, rubbing his eyes. “Huh? What time is it?” he asked, followed by a huge yawn. 

“It’s about three-thirty,” Alvin replied, striking a match. “We’ve got a couple hours before our ship heads out, so we need to head over to Trigleph port as soon as possible.” He lit the candle on the side table, and it gave the room a soft glow.

“Huh? Why so early?” Jude said.

“Welcome to the wonderful world of produce imports,” Alvin said. “I’m sneaking you and Milla into one of our delivery ships headed to Aladhi Seahaven. I’d book us a later delivery, but an earlier one means fewer people around to catch us.”

“Mm. All right.” Jude propped himself up into a sitting position. He stretched his arms up high over his head, his fingers laced. The hem of his shirt slipped up past his navel, the lines of his hip bones peeking above his waistband. 

Alvin’s gaze lingered on him for a few seconds, but then he quickly looked over to the hallway, a mildly flustered expression on his face. “I’ll go wake up Milla,” he said quickly, and walked off.

“Uh, thanks,” Jude said, bringing his arms back down.  _ That was weird. _

Jude walked over to the window and looked outside. He still wasn’t used to so much darkness, even in a smaller city like Duval. He couldn’t see the brick facades across the street, nor could he see the dirty roads below. It was amazing what even something as simple as a dim streetlight could do to help visibility. Elympions really did depend on the grid to live their lives. It was difficult to think of what might happen if the land finally became barren of spirits. He had to come up with something.

“Good morning, Jude,” Milla said, entering the living room. She leaned against the wall for support, struggling to stay awake.

“Hey, Milla,” he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. “You okay?”

She nodded. “Yeah, just really tired.”

As tired as he was himself, Jude made an effort to transfer some of his mana to her again. He was thankful that they’d be in a better spirit clime soon -- who knew how long he could keep this up? He wished he could make some coffee, but the spyrix curfew made that an impossibility right now. “Hang in there,” Jude said to Milla with a sympathetic smile, and headed into his room to change. 

He fumbled around in the top drawer of his desk until he found his spyrite-powered flashlight. After a couple shakes and a click of the button, it turned on, illuminating the area in front of him. Using the paltry light, he threw on some khakis, a sweater, and his peacoat.  He grabbed a spare coat from his dresser for Milla -- it was a bit big, but it would probably work. Before heading out, he grabbed a pouch from under his mattress and tucked it in his pocket. Since he had no idea how long he’d be out of the country, it was probably best to take his savings with him just in case.

When he returned to the living room, Alvin was waiting for him on the couch. He was dressed up in his usual business attire. He looked like he was just going to make a routine delivery -- which, as far as anyone else was concerned, he was. “Ready to go?” he asked. Jude nodded. 

The three of them left the apartment, unsure of when they would return. As they walked down the empty cobblestone roads, they followed the distant light of the Duval train station. Thankfully, Elympios had converted their transit systems to spyrite power before the curfew -- Jude could only imagine how dangerous it would be to traverse the monster-infested fields in this darkness. After taking their tickets from the machines, they boarded the 4 A.M. train to Trigleph.

Alvin took a seat next to the window, unrolling a newspaper so he could read on the way over. Milla sat across from him, leaning up against the window for a nap. After a moment of deliberation, Jude took a seat next to Alvin, folding his hands in his lap quietly. He stared at the seat across from him as the train began to accelerate. Within the hour, they’d be arriving at the seaport.

Once the train traveled at a steady clip, Jude began to relax. He looked over at Alvin, who was focused on the weekly crossword puzzle. He fiddled with the pen in his hand, humming a tune. After listening to it for a little bit, Jude recognized it as the Hymn of Proof. It had been a while since he’d heard that one. He let his head droop forward, his eyelids growing heavy.

When he woke up, the train was already pulling to a stop in Trigleph station. He’d fallen asleep, and somewhere in the process had wound up leaning against Alvin’s shoulder. He sat up straight, cracking the joints in his neck. Milla was also awake, looking out the window.

“Right on time,” Alvin said, patting Jude on the knee. The train doors opened and they stepped outside, bundling themselves up tight against the cold winds that blew through. They made their way over to the seaport, bracing themselves against the heavy gusts that swept past them as they walked. It looked like a storm would be coming in soon.

“Morning, Yurg!” Alvin called out as they stepped out on the docks.

“Hey, Al,” Yurgen replied, grinning.  He looked over to Jude and Milla. “I see you’ve brought some help this morning. Much appreciated. Maybe we can get all the cargo off and head out before this storm hits, yeah?” He headed towards a stack of crates, beckoning the two of them to follow him. 

“Thanks, Yurgen,” Jude said as soon as they were hidden from the public view.

Yurgen dismissed him with a wave. “You won’t be thanking me for long,” he said, pointing to a large wheeled crate. “This one’s empty. You two hop in.” 

Jude sighed. So  _ this _ was what Alvin meant by a ticket to Rieze Maxia. Still, it would have to do. He climbed in, then extended a hand to Milla, pulling her in with him.  They sat down cross-legged, the top of the box walls just barely reaching over their heads. It was a bit cramped, but the lack of personal space was just something they’d have to deal with for the time being. 

“Good luck, guys,” Yurgen said, placing the top back on the crate.  “Hey, Al!” he called out. “This one’s the wrong shipment! This one was supposed to go to Helioborg.”

“Ah, crap, you’re right,” Jude heard Alvin say. “Sorry about that. I’ll go put this one back.”  Jude felt him wheeling the cart along, and he braced himself as they went up the ship’s ramp. After a couple of minutes of rickety rolling, the cart came to a stop.  “Stay here,” he heard Alvin say quietly, followed by the sound of a shutting door.

“You holding up okay, Milla?” Jude whispered. “... Milla?”

She was completely silent, save for her shallow breathing. 

Jude cursed under his breath, then gave her a gentle shake. “Come on, Milla. Now’s not the time to fade out.” She still didn’t stir.  He squeezed her hand in his own, transferring what little spare mana he could find into her, but it didn’t seem to work. Her skin was cold, her pulse barely registering.

_This is bad_. He wished he could take her out of the crate and assess her properly, but it was too risky. Alvin had ordered them to stay put. Getting caught now could jeopardize their mission. But if Milla couldn’t hold out -- he shuddered at the thought -- then the mission would be for nothing.

He shut his eyes tight and concentrated as hard as he could, struggling to maintain his own consciousness as he poured more energy into her body. “Milla, please wake up…” he whispered, beginning to feel dizzy. He couldn’t keep this going for long.

She still didn’t answer him, so he stopped. This required something more drastic. 

“Sorry,” he whispered to her. “I’d ask for your permission first if I could.” He took both of Milla’s hands in his own. He focused on his own heartbeat, slow and steady, generating warmth in his chest. His pulse sailed through his veins and flowed into his arms, winding through to Milla’s fingertips. He felt Milla’s energy and his own fusing together, held in place by a direct tether. 

He realized now why she’d been so upset with him for tethering with Muzet years ago. He was too young to understand it at the time, but this really was the most intimate someone could be with a spirit. Her life was in his hands. If he wanted to, he could easily take it from her. He flinched at the thought.

“Jude…?” Milla mumbled, stirring.

“Hi, Milla,” he said softly, squeezing her hand. 

“You’re... tethered with me,” she said, her voice weak.

“Yeah, I am.” It was too dark for him to see the expression on her face. In a way, he was thankful for it. “I hope that’s all right.”

She chuckled. “Of course it’s all right,” she said. “Thank you.”

They sat in silence, the boat rocking below them. They heard the waves lap against the hull as they broke off from the pier. Their journey to Rieze Maxia had begun.

“I think I understand now,” Milla said, a hint of sadness in her voice. “I can feel it coming across the tether. You’re scared, aren’t you?”

Jude nodded. “Well, yeah. I’m sneaking off to another continent in a cargo ship, with no concrete plans and no idea when I’ll be coming back home. On top of that, I thought you were dying. Who wouldn’t be scared in this situation?”

“That’s not what I mean,” she said, shaking her head. “You’re afraid of me. You’re afraid of… being close to me.”

Jude felt his heart sink. In that moment, he was sure Milla felt it, too. He swallowed hard. “Yeah, I am,” he admitted. “I’m terrified. I don’t know if I can handle the intensity of my feelings for you, knowing that you might disappear again.”

“I can’t promise that I won’t disappear.”

“I know.” 

“And you already know how I feel, Jude. I support you, no matter what you choose to do.”

He paused. “I am afraid of being close to you again,” he said. “But… I still want to be.” He was surprised at the level of resolve in his own voice, but it was the truth. Now that their souls were directly connected, there was no use in hiding it.

“Jude…” 

“I can’t hide behind that fear, Milla,” he continued. “I know you might not be in this world again for long. It kills me to know that. But I’ve also realized something… if I lose you again, this time I can’t let it happen with any regrets.” Jude felt his pulse thundering in his chest, jolting like electricity across the tether. He felt warm, alive. “It won’t be easy, but I want to treasure this time with you while I can.”

Jude felt Milla’s hands squeeze around his. “I’m glad to hear it,” she said, her voice soft. She leaned in closer to him, placing her lips on his in a gentle kiss. Jude stroked her cheek.

Alvin interrupted them by knocking on the top of the crate.  “Coast is clear,” he said. “It’s just me and Yurg if you want to come up to the top deck.”

“Th-thanks, Alvin!” Jude said, flustered. “We’ll be right there!”  He leaned in and gave Milla another peck on the lips before opening the lid. He climbed out of the box, Milla following behind him. 

Though he was still tired, his heart felt a little lighter than before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While I'm really happy with the Jude/Milla and Jude/Alvin development, I'm hoping to focus a little more on Alvin/Milla and the trio dynamic in the next couple of chapters. Of course, there's also a world to save and some mysteries to solve... See you next Tuesday!


	9. Frisky Rappig

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alvin, Milla, and Jude arrive at the Aladhi Seahaven after their cross-continental journey. They stop in at the seaside inn for a rest, and Alvin realizes he's made a mistake with the room arrangements.

The atmosphere in Aladhi Seahaven felt remarkably different from the one they left behind in Elympios. Alvin, Milla, and Jude stepped out onto the pier, the warm breeze floating around them. Merchants wheeled their carts along the terrace, hawking their wares. Familiar cries of “Mutton! Fresh mutton!” echoed across the brick buildings. A warm orange sunset peeked above the horizon.

“Thanks again, Yurgen,” Alvin said, extending his hand out. “I owe you one.”

Yurgen shook it. “Think nothing of it,” he said, grinning. “Now if you’ll excuse me, the missus and kids are waiting for me back home. If I set out now, I should make it back before dark.” He gave a quick bow, and boarded his ship again.

“All right. Take care,” Alvin said. They waved him off as his boat sailed back into the ocean. “Now I don’t know about you guys,” he said, turning to face Jude and Milla, “but smuggling you two stowaways has really built up my appetite. Want to grab some food?”

“Yes,” said Milla immediately, bouncing on her heels. “Let’s go.”

Alvin chuckled. “Looks like you’re in better shape than you were this morning, Maxwell.”

Milla nodded. “Much better. The mana here is still thinner than it used to be, but it’s a stronger supply than in Elympios. I should have no trouble maintaining my form here.” She looked over at Jude, a tinge of pink brushing over her cheeks. “Jude has also been very helpful with helping me keep up my stamina.”

Alvin cocked an eyebrow at Jude, a smirk playing at his lips. “Oh, really now…?” he teased. “Stamina, huh? Just what were you two up to in that box, hmm?”

“A-Alvin!” Jude squeaked. He instantly felt the heat rush to his face, and he looked down at his feet.

“Jude tethered with me,” Milla said coyly.

“Ah, I see,” Alvin said, clapping a hand on Jude’s shoulder. He shook his head. “You sly dog, you. I can’t believe you’d tether with Milla after doing it with her sister like that…”

“Hey!” Milla and Jude shouted in unison.

Alvin laughed out loud. “I’m just giving you grief,” he said, waving his hand. “I still don’t get the whole tethering thing, but I’m glad Jude could help keep you in good shape. Now come on, let’s go eat.”

The seaside inn bustled with life, the tables filled with traveling merchants and locals alike. Seasoned waitstaff wove in and out between patrons with deft movement, serving food and drink. Conversation and laughter echoed across the room, drowning out the folk music that played over the cheap speakers. Milla, Alvin, and Jude relaxed at a table seated by the window, which provided an excellent view of the crashing waves outside.

“Now this brings me back,” said Milla, taking a bread roll from a wicker basket at the center of the table. “This is where I tried food for the first time, remember? I can’t believe I went so many years without it.” She took a bite from her roll, savoring the taste. 

“Yeah, and it was like you were trying to make up for it all at once,” Alvin said. “I’d never seen one human swallow down so much food in one go.”

“I never was very good at being a human,” Milla replied, popping the last bite of bread in her mouth.

They spent the next couple of hours chatting and enjoying their food. Milla seemed far more lively than she’d been in Elympios -- the change in climate really did seem to make a difference. Jude, however, was struggling not to fall asleep at the table, and he hardly touched his soup. Alvin took note of this, and figured it was probably a good idea to let him get some rest. Once night had fallen and the crowd had thinned out considerably, they paid their bill and headed to the lobby. 

“Good evening, Mr. Svent,” said the concierge from behind the front desk. She was a plump, middle aged woman, with curly brown hair and a toothy grin. She opened the drawer and pulled out a copper key. “Nice to see you again. Business or pleasure this time?”

“You know it’s always pleasure when you’re around, Flora,” he said, winking at her.

She rolled her eyes and tossed him the key. “Get outta here,” she said, still grinning.

“Yes, ma’am,” Alvin replied, twirling the key around his finger. He gave her a quick wave before he left.   


“You two seem pretty friendly,” observed Milla as they walked down the hallway.

“Oh yeah, Flora’s a sweetheart,” he said, nodding. “I’m familiar with most of the seaside innkeepers, actually. You make friends everywhere when you travel as much as I do… Ah, room three. Here we are.” He slid the key into the slot and pushed the door open. “Ugh, crap.”

“What’s wrong?” asked Jude, following him inside.

“Since I’m a regular here, I just asked them to reserve a room for me. I forgot to specify that I’d have company this time.” Alvin scratched his head. In the center of the room, there was only one bed. It was a relatively large mattress for one person, but it wasn’t what he’d had in mind. “Sorry, guys. My bad.”

“It’s fine, we can share it,” Jude said sleepily. He kicked off his shoes in the corner of the room and made a beeline towards the bed. He peeled back the covers and crawled in, letting his head thump unceremoniously onto the pillow.

Alvin blinked. “You sure? I can have them switch rooms for us.”

“Don’t care,” Jude said, his voice muffled by the pillow. “Too much effort. Tired.”

“Wow,” Alvin said, cocking an eyebrow. “You must be, if you’ve completely abandoned the idea of personal space. All that tethering really took it out of you, huh?” Jude mumbled something incomprehensible into the bed, and he took it as an affirmation. He pivoted on his heel and looked at Milla. “I dunno about you, but I’m not quite ready for bed yet. I was going to stay up a bit and watch TV, but I don’t want to keep Jude up. Care to join me for a drink or two downstairs?”

Milla smiled. “Sure. I’d like that.”

 

Alvin held a glass tumbler in his hand, swirling the amber-colored whiskey around the inside. He took a sip, resting it on his tongue for a few seconds before letting it burn clean down his throat. “Hmm, not bad,” he said, resting the glass on a coaster.

Milla seemed less pleased with her drink. She’d picked the first thing she saw on the menu, a fortified red napple wine called Chateau Hamil. She took a sip of it, then puckered her lips when she realized how bitter it was. “I can’t believe you humans would drink this on purpose,” she said, wrinkling her nose as she set the glass down on the bar.

“It’s an acquired taste,” Alvin said. “You don’t have to drink it if you don’t want to.”

“No, no, I’ll finish it,” she insisted. She took a large swig of it, made another sour face, and shuddered.

“Whoa. Easy now,” Alvin said, amused.  He took another sip of his drink. “Trust me, you won’t want to down that too fast. You’ve never had alcohol before, have you?”

“No, I haven’t. So what?” she said defensively, trying to hide her embarrassment. She was cute when she got all flustered like this, Alvin thought.

“Just trying to save you a hangover, Maxwell. That’s one human experience I’m sure you could do without.” 

“I appreciate it,” she said quietly, sliding the wine over to him. “I’m finished with this. You can have it if you like.”

“Thanks,” he said, setting it aside. He paused for a moment. “Here, let me try ordering something for you,” he said, taking a laminated drink menu off the bar. After scanning its contents for a few seconds, he put it back and flagged down the bartender.  “Excuse me,” he said, placing some gald on the counter. “One frisky rappig for my friend, please.” The bartender nodded, and headed back into the kitchen.

“A frisky rappig?” Milla said, raising an eyebrow.

Alvin nodded. “No actual rappigs in it, promise. It’s a good beginner’s drink -- it’s practically got training wheels.”

Milla was still skeptical, but she eyed the drink curiously when the server brought it out to her. It was a bright pink milkshake, served in a tall frosted mug with a heavy dollop of whipped cream and a cherry on top. “This is for adults?” she said incredulously, sticking a straw into it.

Alvin chuckled. “It is, believe it or not. I ordered this for Jude and Leia as their first drinks when they came of age. Go ahead, try it.”

She took a sip from it. It was cold, sweet, pleasant. She tasted notes of vanilla and almond, and she could hardly believe there was liquor in it at all. “It’s delicious,” she said, her eyes lighting up. She took another drink of it, sucking it down through the straw.

“Hey, I said go easy!” Alvin said, grinning.

By the end of the hour, there were four empty glasses on the bar: Alvin’s whiskey, the wine that he’d finished off for Milla, and two frisky rappigs (she liked the first one so much she’d requested a second). They enjoyed the slight buzz that warmed their bodies as they talked.

“It really is good to have you back, Milla,” Alvin said. “I wish you could stay.”

“I wish I could, too,” she said wistfully. “Maybe I will, if it becomes feasible.”

“Do you think he can do it?” Alvin said, his eyes fixed on his empty glass. “Jude, I mean. Do you think he can solve the energy crisis? That way, you really could stay, right?” He contemplated ordering another whiskey. After the past week, he appreciated the comforting numbness that came with the drink. It certainly helped that there was a lovely lady like Milla to enjoy it with him.

“I don’t know,” Milla said, twisting a lock of hair around her finger. “I mean, it’s not impossible, but…”

“It’s a tall order,” Alvin said idly. “Certainly doesn’t stop him from trying, though. Even if he worries me sometimes, I love him for it.”

His face went pale when he realized what he’d just said out loud.

Milla seemed to pay no mind, and she nodded. “It’s very admirable,” she agreed. “I’m glad he has someone like you to believe in him.” 

Alvin avoided her gaze, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. “I’m nothing special,” he said quietly, feeling vulnerable. He sighed. He’d wanted to get a few drinks to unwind, not to dwell on his problems. He had good company and a renewed purpose in life, and that was more than he felt he deserved. But when he saw the way that Jude looked at Milla, he couldn’t help but feel an ache in his chest. He certainly couldn’t blame him -- gods, who wouldn’t be thrilled to be with someone like her? -- but it stung. He swallowed, trying to remind himself that Jude deserved happiness, even if he couldn’t be the one to bring it to him. Milla deserved it, too.

His thoughts were interrupted as Milla wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. “You look distraught. Does this comfort you?” she asked.

Alvin laughed softly, returning the embrace. He closed his eyes and lingered for a moment, taking in her softness and warmth. As conflicted as he felt about her, her presence was calming, safe. Like the eye of the storm, he thought. “Very comforting,” he said. “You’re a gem, you know that?”

“Thanks,” she said, pulling back. She rocked on her heels. “I’ve enjoyed your company this evening. Shall we get some rest?”

“Not a bad idea,” he said.

 

They crept with caution into the room, closing the door silently behind them. Jude was fast asleep, his silhouette outlined by the moonlight that streamed in through the window. He was curled up at the edge of the bed, his arm dangling to the floor. Milla and Alvin tiptoed over, trying their best not to wake him. Alvin wondered how they would all fit comfortably. 

“I can take the edge,” Milla whispered to Alvin. “You take the middle.”

Alvin nodded and crawled gingerly into the bed.  He lied on his back and scooted up to Jude, keeping his movements even and slow -- as best as he could, anyway, given his slight inebriation. Milla slipped under the sheets next to him, snuggling up close to his side. It was slightly cramped, Alvin thought, but nice. He could probably sleep through the night like this.

Jude mumbled something in his sleep that Alvin didn’t quite catch and rolled over, resting his head on his shoulder. Alvin smiled and pressed his lips to the top of his head, taking in his scent. He felt Jude’s hand move up against his own, lacing their fingers loosely together. It was a little selfish, sure, taking advantage of Jude’s affectionate sleeping tendencies, but one night of this wouldn’t hurt, right?

Alvin felt Milla’s hand slide up his chest, stopping at his heart. She nuzzled into his shoulder -- apparently, she was feeling affectionate this evening, too. He certainly didn’t mind. He placed his free hand on top of her wrist, tracing the back of her hand with his thumb in slow, deliberate strokes.

Things could get awkward in the morning, he thought, closing his eyes. In the meantime, though, he could appreciate this precarious sleeping arrangement. He drifted off, thankful for the little mistake he’d made during the reservation process.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little bit of Alvin-centric fic today. I started this series with the intention of keeping it a limited third-person POV focused on Jude, but that didn't seem to work out for this chapter. Oops.
> 
> Fun fact: In the Xillia-verse, I've referred to the drink that Alvin orders for Milla as the "frisky rappig." Here on good old planet Earth, however, it is called a pink squirrel. It is the girliest drink in the known universe, and it is very dangerous. I highly recommend it if you have a sweet tooth.


	10. To Nia Khera

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group travels to Nia Khera. Things have changed since their last visit.

_ Jude trudged through the dirt, shielding himself from the gusts of hot, stale air that whipped across Catamar Heights. He couldn’t remember how long ago he’d left Drellin. The white sun beat down on him, and he wiped away droplets of sweat from his face with the back of his hand. He couldn’t remember why, but he needed to go to Lake Epsilla. It called out to him, like an oasis in the desert, and he felt his feet moving of their own accord. _

_ The lake was completely dried out, but Jude wasn’t discouraged -- he hadn’t come here to drink. He descended into the basin, the scorched earth cracking beneath his boots as he walked. He stopped at the center and stooped low. Aside from himself, Lake Epsilla was completely void of life. Hoping to change that, he placed his palm on the ground and focused. _

_ A tiny yellow dandelion crept up from the cracks in the dirt. It was a good start, but Jude knew it wouldn’t be enough. He tried harder, trying to coax more life from the ground, but nothing else grew. He watched as the dandelion aged rapidly, revealing a crown of puffy white seeds. They scattered into the wind, leaving behind a withered husk. He was powerless. _

_ Suddenly, he felt another hand on top of his own. He looked up and saw Milla crouching next to him. She smiled and a deluge poured down from the heavens, covering the barren earth with rain. She leaned in and kissed him as the storm raged above them, cupping his face in her hands. The rain pounded on them, soaking them to the bone. Lightning danced through the sky, followed by thunder which echoed through the cliffs. _

_ When Jude stood up, Alvin was standing in Milla’s place, holding a bright yellow dandelion between his thumb and forefinger. He offered it to Jude, and he accepted it. Thousands of dandelions bloomed from the ground, covering the basin in a thick carpet of foliage. _

Jude opened his eyes to find that he’d been relegated to a tiny sliver of bed space. He wriggled out from beneath the sheets and stood up. Alvin and Milla shifted slightly but were otherwise undisturbed. Milla was sprawled across the mattress, with one arm lying flat across Alvin’s shoulder and the other hanging limp off the edge of the bed. Alvin had curled up on his side, his head firmly planted in the space between the two pillows. They seemed very comfortable. Jude decided to let them sleep in.

He wandered over towards the bookcase in the corner of the room. It contained a peculiar selection of titles -- practical non-fiction tomes about cooking and history, harlequin romance novels, and outdated GHS directories alike lined the shelves. They were likely picked up on the cheap to fill out the shelf as decoration. One volume, however, caught his eye: A thick black binder with the Talim Medical School logo on the spine. Jude wiped a layer of dust from the top of it and opened the cover. The pages were old and yellowed, and a date stamped on the corner of the title page indicated that it was 45 years old. He considered putting the journal back, but then he caught the author’s name at the bottom of the page: Patrick Haus.

_ Professor Haus?  _ Jude thought, turning the page. The sloppy script on the lines confirmed it: this was definitely his mentor’s writing. He smiled, remembering times when he had to translate his chalkboard’s chicken scratch for other students in the classroom. This journal, however, went even further back: it was Haus’ graduate thesis, written long before Jude was even born. What were the chances that it would end up as decoration in an inn like this? 

“What’s that?” Milla asked, peeking over his shoulder.

“This is Dr. Haus’ old senior research project,” he said, shutting the binder gently. “Never thought I’d find that here.” 

“Interesting,” said Milla. “Think there might be anything useful in there?”

“I’m not sure,” Jude said. “Might be worth checking out, though. It could offer a valuable new perspective.” He slipped the journal into his bag.

“Well, well,” Alvin said, sitting cross legged on top of the bed. “Stealing from a commercial property. Didn’t think you had it in you, honors student.” 

“Morning, Alvin,” Jude replied, rolling his eyes.

After departing the inn, they made their way across the Aladhi Trail, their boots scuffling across the well-worn dirt road. The sun shone high up in the sky, casting long shadows on the ground. It would be a long walk to Nia Khera, but at least it was a familiar one.

Not long after setting out, they encountered a group of monsters in the middle of the path -- a prickle spider, roughly twice Jude’s height, led the pack.

“Gods, that thing is huge,” Jude said, readying his bracers. “Have prickle spiders always been this big?”

“Nope,” Alvin replied, charging in with his sword. “Auj Oule’s been going through a nasty climate shift in the past couple years. Makes for prime monster breeding conditions.” He followed up his strike with several gunshots, felling the beast. “It’s great for me, since monster hunting quests are a good side income, but it kinda sucks for the folks actually living here. Behind you, Milla.”

“Thanks,” Milla said, whipping around and striking down the spider behind her. She cast a bind on it, pinning it to the ground with her magic, then dealt it a death blow. 

Jude swooped in and landed a critical hit right on a third monster’s head. It let out an earsplitting shriek, spraying dark green blood on Jude’s fists as it collapsed on the ground. “Ugh, gross,” he said, shaking some of it off his bracers. He did not miss this part of traveling. 

After inspecting the corpses, they found a handful of gald and a couple of life bottles. “Everyone alright?” Jude asked, and Milla and Alvin nodded in confirmation. 

They continued to walk down the path through Hamil and the Galia Trail, fighting the occasional cluster of monsters, until they entered the Kijara Seafalls. The sun began to set beyond the horizon -- nightfall would be coming soon, making it dangerous to travel. They picked up their pace.

“I’m so out of shape,” Jude whined, climbing up a stone ledge. He could feel blisters forming beneath his boots as he walked along the clifftop. He hated to admit it, but the amenities of Elympios’ railway systems had spoiled him. It had been a while since he’d traveled any considerable distance on foot.

“I told you that all that time cooped up at your desk wasn’t good for you,” Alvin said, thumping a hand on Jude’s back.

“Ugh, I know. Maybe I’ll take up Leia’s offer to spar with her once in awhile.”

They stepped across the stones in front of the waterfall. Jude thought he heard something -- a small rustling noise, maybe -- but he wasn’t completely sure of it. This wouldn’t be the first time they were ambushed in this spot. He paused in his tracks and looked around. Aside from a sleepy looking crow on a branch, he didn’t see anything of note.

“You sense it too, huh?” Alvin said, frowning and crossing his arms.

Jude nodded. “Yeah. I can’t confirm it, but I think someone’s watching us.”

“Should we survey the perimeter?” Milla asked. 

Alvin shook his head. “There’s probably no need. It’s hard to hide a sizeable group of people in this area, so we can probably take on anything that tries to ambush us. Keep your wits about you, but let’s keep going.” To Jude’s relief, they made it to Nia Khera without incident. 

What they weren’t expecting, though, was that it was completely deserted.

Gusts of wind blew across the overgrown plain, flapping the fabric entryways of abandoned yurts. There was no shopkeeper to greet them at the entrance, though his rug was still laid out on the ground. The job posting board contained only tatters of old advertisements. The temporal shrines were cracked, the stones stolen from them. 

Jude frowned. “What happened here? Where is everyone?”

“I don’t know,” said Alvin. “I haven’t been here since the last time Ludger took us. Never really had much business here.”

Milla looked very distraught. “Something is definitely wrong,” she said, looking down. “There’s a malignant energy here. It must have been enough to drive the villagers away.” They walked through the abandoned village. Nia Khera was a quiet place, but it was never  _ this  _ quiet.

The spiritway was also unusually calm. Monsters still roamed freely about, but there were markedly fewer of them. The pathway was heavily populated with weeds -- it seemed no one had tended to it in quite some time. It was as if everyone in the immediate area had just gotten up and left, leaving nature to fend for itself.

They arrived at Milla’s shrine and opened the door, taking a peek inside. Surprisingly, Milla’s room was well kept and free of dust. Though the village had no signs of life, someone cared enough to make sure that the shrine was cared for. That was considerate, Jude thought. Was it Ivar, maybe? It was entirely possible, given that they hadn’t seen him in years. It wouldn’t surprise him if he’d gone back to live in Nia Khera after his failed career at Spirius.

Milla still seemed concerned. “This is very strange,” she said. “The energy I felt back at the village is definitely here, too.”

“Think it might be a trap?” Alvin asked.

“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Jude said, inspecting the room. “Why is this the only spot in Nia Khera that looks like it wasn’t abandoned? And why would Nia Khera be abandoned in the first place?” He shifted back and forth, trying to etch out a reasoning for it in his head. He thought back to when Milla first appeared in Trigleph -- why had she been summoned there, where the risk of failure was significantly higher, instead of here where the mana was more fertile? He expressed this concern to the other two.

“Hmm. That does seem fishy,” Alvin agreed. “It’s possible that someone else has anticipated your arrival, so it might be in our best interests not to perform the summoning.” He shrugged. “That being said, I am your bodyguard. I’ll protect you even if this is a trap.”

“Thanks,” said Milla, a brief smile flashing on her lips. “I’d like to think I’m smart enough to avoid it, though. As much as I’d prefer to have the Four at my side, I know what a mistake it can be to summon them into a trap. In the end, I did meet you two because of it, but I’d rather not go through that hassle again.”

“The hassle of being human?” Alvin said, smirking.

“Yes. Fun as it was, I’d like to keep my otherworldly strength this time.”

“Understandable,” said Jude. “Having a human body can be inconvenient. But now what do we do?” 

As soon as he’d asked, his GHS started ringing in his pocket. He fished it out and held the receiver to his ear.  “Hello?”

“Hey, Jude, it’s me,” Leia’s voice said from the other end of the line. “I checked your mail. You got a really fancy letter that I thought you should know about.”

Jude sighed. What was Leia doing digging around in his mailbox? “You know that’s illegal, right?”

“Yeah, I know. I used the spare key that Alvin gave Balan and he said it was fine.” Jude made a mental note to revoke Balan’s key privileges. “I was snooping around for clues about your kidnapper, but I mostly just found junk mail. I figured you’d want to hear about this, though,” she said.

“Okay, I’ll bite. What is it?” Jude asked.

“There’s a gala happening over at Fort Gandala in a few days, and you’ve been invited. It looks like Orda Palace has been looking to take back sovereignty of Rashugal, and they’re inviting major political influences from all over the world to try to garner support.”

“Huh. I don’t consider myself a major political figure, but that’s interesting. You think they have anything to do with the terrorist attacks on Trigleph?” Jude asked.

“I’m not sure,” Leia said. “Driselle, Rowen, and Chancellor Marcia all received invitations, too. Auj Oule is pretty disadvantaged with no permanent leader, so they’re not exactly in a position to try to maintain leadership over the entire Rieze Maxian continent. I think Rowen is going to concede the Rashugal territory for the safety of Auj Oule.”

“Sounds like you might have a pretty juicy scoop on your hands, huh?” Jude said.

“Ugh. I have plenty enough bad news to keep my journals full lately,” she groaned. “I’m mostly just looking out for you guys. You can decide whether or not to go for yourselves, but with all the political figureheads I think it might be a good source of info for you.”

Jude smiled. Her ways were a bit unorthodox sometimes, but she really did seem to have their best interests in mind. And thanks to her, they had a new lead. “Thanks for letting me know,” Jude said. “You’re the best, Leia.”

“I know I am,” she teased. “Good luck out there, you guys. Elle and I are rooting for you.” She hung up with a click.

“So what now?” asked Alvin.

“Looks like we’ll be paying Rowen a visit,” Jude said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, y'all, sorry this came out so late in the day! I almost totally forgot to post this chapter because today I got ENGAGED <3  
> I am over the moon.  
> See you next week!


	11. A Call for Secession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jude, Milla, Alvin, and Driselle prepare for the gala at Sharilton Manor. On their way to the event, Rowen discloses a long hidden part of Rashugal's history.

“Quit squirming, I’m almost done,” Driselle said, tucking another bobby pin into Milla’s hair. She pinned the curl in place and gave it a quick spritz of hairspray before moving on to the next section.

“I’ve been sitting here for an hour,” Milla complained, pouting and drumming her black gloved fingertips along the side of her arm. Driselle had graciously lent Milla one of her dresses for the occasion -- a strapless red number that was supposed to be tea-length but only just barely passed Milla’s knees. “I can’t believe that some people regularly put this much effort into appearances,” she said.

“Comes with the territory. Sometimes, politics is all about keeping up appearances.” Driselle hummed as she stuck in another bobby pin, gave Milla’s head another quick spray, and stepped back. “Finished,” she said, her hands on her hips. She smiled, admiring her handiwork. It had taken longer than she expected, but even Milla’s wild mane could be contained in a formal updo with enough time and effort.

Milla began to stand up, but Driselle stopped her. “Oh no you don’t,” she said. “We still have to do your makeup.” Milla groaned loudly, but stayed put as Driselle fluttered off to grab her cosmetics bag.

Jude chuckled. Milla never had much patience for formality, but Driselle was completely in her element this evening. She had gone to the trouble of arranging suit rentals for both himself and Alvin, and invited their group to get ready with her at the Sharilton Manor a few hours before the gala started. Jude stood uncomfortably in his black suit and tie, fiddling with a silver pocket watch that Rowen had lent him. Elympion fashion was trendy at Rieze Maxian formal events, but Jude’s usual style was neither Elympion nor formal. 

“Hey. Looking sharp, doc,” Alvin said, adjusting his cufflinks as he stepped into the room. Alvin seemed much more at ease in a suit than Jude did. He genuinely enjoyed dressing up, and he was all about the details. His hair was slicked back, and not a single lock fell out of place. He’d foregone his usual scarf for a ruffled white cravat -- a bold move, but one he wore with confidence. A clunky gold ring, which matched his cufflinks, rested on his finger.

“Looking sharp yourself,” Jude said, impressed. “I was wondering what was taking you so long in there.”

“You can’t rush perfection,” Alvin said with a sly wink. “Come here. Let me fix your tie.”

“Oh, did I do it wrong?” Jude asked, feeling slightly self-conscious. “I’ve never really worn one before, so…”

Alvin shook his head, smiling. “Nah, you did fine. Just thought I’d try something a little fancier on you. Do you mind?” he asked, gesturing towards Jude’s collar.

“Not at all,” Jude replied. “Go ahead.” He looked away shyly as Alvin stepped in front of him and leaned in close. The scent of Alvin’s cologne lingered between them -- a spicy blend of cedarwood and coriander, tempered with softer lavender and citrus notes. Jude found it enticing.

With practiced movements, Alvin loosened and unraveled the simple knot that Jude had tied. Jude found himself fixating on Alvin’s hands as they worked. They were clean, with the nails filed down and perfectly manicured for tonight’s event. When Jude looked closer, though, they were also rough and calloused -- no doubt from years of hard work as a mercenary. He watched, mesmerized, as Alvin slipped the silk tie through those rough fingers into an intricate knot. He fought the urge to touch those hands.

“There we go,” Alvin said, sliding the knot into place. He traced his fingers up Jude’s neck, gently stroking along the jawline. They locked eyes for a moment, and Jude felt a shiver rush down his spine. Sensing a tension forming between them, Alvin immediately withdrew from Jude. He cleared his throat, casting his eyes downward. “Much better,” he muttered, and excused himself.

“Th-thanks,” Jude said, watching him walk away. His pulse was racing.  _ He was just fixing my tie. What is wrong with me? Why did I have to make things weird?  _ He berated himself internally, debating whether or not to go after him and apologize.

“Are you okay, Jude? You don’t look well.” Milla placed a hand on his shoulder, and he flinched.

“Oh! Uh, yeah, I’m all right,” he said, cracking a smile. “Just a bit nervous, is all. I’ve never really been involved in politics before. I’ll need to tread lightly.” He swallowed. It was true, yes, but that wasn’t all that was on his mind. He felt a twinge of guilt for hiding it, but now wasn’t a good time. It could wait. 

He could tell that Milla wasn’t convinced, but she let the subject drop anyway. She seemed mildly uncomfortable herself -- while she did take some stock in her appearance, she’d never taken her primping and polishing to this level before. Driselle had gone for a sultry evening look, accentuating Milla’s eyelids with a shimmering gold powder and false eyelashes. She’d completed the ensemble with a bright red lip. Her intricate hairstyle had not budged an inch since she’d gotten up from the chair.  “My head feels like it’s in a cage,” she said.

“It’s a very pretty cage,” Jude replied. “We can let it out at the end of the night.”

“Jude... Do humans really prefer women to look this way?” Milla asked, troubled. “It seems like a lot of work for something so shallow.”

He shook his head. “Can’t say I speak for all of them, but I couldn’t care less what you choose to do with your appearance. I prefer that you look the way you want to.” He smiled.

“Thanks, Jude,” she said, smiling back at him. “Once this night is over, I am never doing this again.”

Jude couldn’t help but laugh at her blunt honesty. “I think we’ll manage.” 

“The carriage is here!” Driselle called out from the bottom of the stairs.

“Carriage?” said Jude, tilting his head. “Just how fancy is this thing?”

Jude and Milla sat on one of the benches inside the stagecoach, and Alvin and Rowen sat on the other. Driselle had taken a seat next to the driver, who was happily chatting away with her. Chancellor Marcia would not be attending that night, as much as she wanted to -- she had been working on an intercultural relations project in Marksburg when the travel restrictions went into effect, and found herself temporarily stuck in Elympios while her administrative travel visa went through processing. 

“I can’t say I’m too thrilled about this event,” Rowen said, crossing his arms. He looked weary, like his years of leadership were finally beginning to catch up with him.  “It puts us in a very delicate position. Leia told you about Rashugal’s bid for secession, right?”

Jude nodded. The carriage jolted as the horses began to trot along the cobblestone streets of Sharilton.

“The gala is meant to establish favor for the secession. Of course, many Rieze Maxians of both Rashugal and Auj Oule origins are against it -- they’ve seen their loved ones die in civil disputes and border skirmishes in the days before the unification. However, former Rashugal citizens, especially in Fennmont, are increasingly pushing for reestablishing borders now that the Auj Oule side has been thrown into turmoil by King Gaius’ demise. We’ve been dealing with a lot of infighting as a result of his death, and our armies are tied up simply with trying to keep the peace between cities and tribes.”

Alvin hummed. “I see. They’re trying to divide and conquer. If they can unite as a country before Auj Oule regroups from its civil tensions, they can use that advantage to reign supreme.”

“Precisely,” Rowen said, furrowing his brow. “I used to be quite the tactician in my prime, but my armies are stretched thin and the odds are very much against defending Rieze Maxia’s unification. Dearest Marcia traveled out to Elympios to seek allies, but their hands are tied with the recent terrorist attacks and the energy crisis.”

“So you’re just going to roll over and give up, then?” Milla said, frowning. 

“I’m afraid so,” Rowen said, looking out the window. Their carriage rolled smoothly across the dirt path of the Talys Highroads. “While I don’t like to go down without a fight, our countries have seen too much war as it is. It won’t be a popular decision, I’m sure, but I plan to comply with the proposal.”

They sat in silence, the air hanging heavy around them as the stagecoach rolled down the path. 

“So who’s leading the movement, then?” Alvin asked. “I thought that Orda Palace had more or less become a historical site after the unification.”

“The movement leader’s name is Luiza Fenn,” Rowen replied. “She’s relatively new to the political scene, but she’s already garnered quite the following with her charisma. Luiza has a very regal presence and the wit to match.”

Jude blinked. “Fenn? As in King Nachtigal Fenn? I thought he never had any children.”

“On the official record, no, he didn’t. His wife was barren.”

“Wait,” said Milla, looking mildly confused.  “Correct me if I’m wrong, but don’t you need functioning reproductive organs in both a male and female in order to produce a human child? I’ve read books about where babies come from, but...”

Alvin sighed, waving his hand. “Yes, Milla. You’re right. Rowen’s trying to imply that Luiza’s an illegitimate love child.”

Rowen cleared his throat. “I wouldn’t refer to her as a ‘love child,’ exactly, but you’ve got the general idea,” he said. “Roughly twenty-five years ago, his mistress gave birth to a daughter as the result of an extramarital affair. As the king, he couldn’t have a scandal like that sullying his name, so he signed the birth papers in secret, then paid off the woman to keep quiet and take her child to Xian Du. He and his daughter never even met.”

“Wow,” Jude said, his eyes cast down.  He couldn’t imagine what that must have been like, for Nachtigal or Luiza. “That’s so sad. I mean, my dad and I don’t see eye to eye sometimes, but at least I know he wanted me to be born.” 

“Luiza’s an interesting force to be reckoned with, I hear,” Rowen continued, “but all I know about her is what I’ve picked up from rumors. From what I’ve heard, after Nachtigal died and they lost his hush money, she took up fighting at the coliseum to secure a decent living for herself and her mother. She must have been pretty good at it, considering she’s still alive and earned enough money to spearhead Rashugal’s secession movement.”

“I’ll keep that in mind if negotiations go sour,” Jude said.

The carriage rolled to a stop in front of Fort Gandala. The building was still as large and imposing as ever, a reminder of the sheer power that once laid behind its walls -- or could still lie behind its walls, Jude reminded himself. Driselle hopped off the carriage, sending her regards to the driver, and motioned for the rest of the group to follow her in. 

Guards stood in front of the heavy doors, this time acting more as bouncers than as militants. After verifying that their names were on the list, they allowed the group in. The events that conspired this night could heavily influence the future of Rieze Maxia.

  
“All right, then,” said Alvin. “Let’s get this party started.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter may or may not have gone a little canon noncompliant. To be completely honest, I don't remember that much about Nachtigal or his family, and a cursory internet search doesn't provide much detail about him either. As far as I can recall, he never had any children, so Luiza is the first major OC I'm introducing into the series (and likely one of the only ones). Trying to remember the history in a game you played 3 years ago when you have memory problems is difficult!
> 
>  
> 
> See you next Tuesday.


	12. Gala, Part I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luiza Fenn's political gala begins.

Alvin stepped into the grand hall of Fort Gandala, the rest of the group following behind him. Since their last visit, it transformed from a utilitarian hangar into an elegant ballroom facade. Soft, gauzy curtains draped over the concrete walls, muffling the echoes and providing a sense of quiet intimacy. Paper lanterns, suspended from the tall ceilings, gave the hall a delicate glow. A dozen cocktail tables, adorned with satin tablecloths and fine china, lined the walls of the room. On top of them were intricate floral centerpieces, accented with tea lights and scattered rose petals. In the center of the room was a parquet dance floor, with a large crystal chandelier hanging above it. A sizeable crowd of politicians, some which Alvin recognized and some that he didn’t, laughed and schmoozed with drinks in hand. A string quartet in the corner played soft music, adding to the ambience. He gave a low whistle, looking around the ballroom. “Wow. They really went all out, huh?”

“Of course,” chimed Driselle, fluttering her eyelashes. “Like I said before, sometimes politics is all about appearances. One of the easiest ways to garner someone’s support is to impress them. It’s an expensive technique, but when it succeeds, it’s worth every last piece of gald.” She glided across the floor with Rowen in tow, stopping to take a flute of champagne from a passing host, and set out to strategically mingle with the other guests. Her official persona was so different from her usual demeanor, Alvin realized, watching her engage with the mayor of Hamil. She could be down to earth and humble one moment, then in the blink of an eye switch to a coquettish ingenue with fluent social etiquette. It was admirable, and also a little frightening.

Milla tapped Alvin’s shoulder. “Look, there are people passing out drinks and tiny snacks,” she said, observing the waitstaff. “Which one do you think I should try? Do you think they could make me a frisky rappig?”

“A what now?” Jude asked, raising an eyebrow at Alvin.

Alvin laughed. “Frisky rappig. It’s a drink I bought Milla at the Aladhi Seahaven last week.”  He looked over at her. “No, sweetheart, I don’t think they have those here. It’s a limited drink selection here, not a full service bar.”

“That’s a shame. Maybe another time, then,” Milla said. She crossed her arms, looking up at the ceiling. “Should I try the wine again? Maybe I’ll like it the second time around. Alvin did say it was an acquired taste...”

“Tell you what,” Jude said, giving her a friendly nudge. “Champagne is usually pretty easy on beginners. I’ll go get a glass and I’ll let you try it. If you like it, you can have it. If not, I’ll drink it.” He wandered off to go find one of the servers.

Alvin tucked a hand in his pocket, watching Jude leave. He looked over at Milla. “You’re looking mighty fine tonight, Maxwell. Driselle did a lovely job.”

“Enjoy it while you can,” she replied, huffing. “It’s never happening again.”

“Hah. Noted.” He stood in silence for a moment, then sighed. “Listen, there’s something I wanted to talk to you about. You and Jude--”

“Milla! Milla, is that you?!”

Milla turned around to find Ivar, eyes wide, standing in front of her. His face was pale. “You… you’re alive,” he said incredulously. “I thought you were gone!”

“I was,” Milla replied. “And now I have returned. What brings you here, Ivar?”

Ivar looked stung by her unfriendly tone, but he quickly adopted a neutral expression. “I’m here for work, mostly,” he said, as casually as he could muster. His appearance hadn’t changed much over the past few years -- he was still lean and short-statured, with a flair for the dramatic as evidenced by his bold magenta Rieze Maxian-styled robes. He’d chopped off most of his hair, styling it into a polished short crop. “With Bakur and Rideaux gone, I decided to get the hell out of Elympios. Never really did like the rushed nature of the place.”

“I see,” Milla said, appearing completely disinterested. 

“Anyway,” Ivar continued, “I moved back to Rieze Maxia. I floated around, taking requests from the job boards. Wound up taking a gig polishing blades for a coliseum fighter out in Xian Du in exchange for ten percent of the winnings. It was a bit of a gamble, yeah, but it turns out she was pretty damn good! She earned enough to hire me on permanently as a personal assistant, and--”

“Wait a minute,” Alvin interrupted, furrowing his brow. “You don’t mean…?”

“Ivar, must you waste your time chitchatting with our guests? I thought you were supposed to be serving with the other staff.” 

A young woman with a commanding gait approached them, her heels clicking against the floor as she walked. She wore a feminine silk floral dress which wrapped around her figure and draped to the floor -- an interesting contrast to her broad shoulders, muscular arms, and battle scars. A thick mane of curly blonde hair cascaded down her back. 

“Yes, ma’am! My sincerest apologies, ma’am!” Ivar took a quick, apologetic bow, and scurried off.

The woman sighed. “It’s so difficult to find good help these days.” She shrugged and extended her hand to Alvin. “I am Luiza Fenn. It is a pleasure to meet you.” Her voice was velvety and smooth.

_ So this is the woman that Rowen told us about _ , thought Alvin, accepting her handshake. Her grip was firm, confident.  _ We’ll have to keep our wits about us.  _ He put on a confident, charming smile. “My name is Alfred Vint Svent, Alvin for short. The pleasure is all mine.” 

“Svent,” she repeated, crossing her arms. She looked sharply at Alvin.  “As in Gilandor Yul Svent, the man who assassinated my father?”

_ Oh, shit. That’s right.  _ Alvin cleared his throat, his smile fading. “Affiliation by blood, disassociation by choice,” he said. He maintained a stone face, but cursed himself internally. Divulging his full name to her was a formality he probably should have skipped, but he’d long since fallen out of the habit of creating fake identities for himself. 

Luiza hummed and nodded in approval of his response. “Of course. I won’t shame you for your relatives’ misdeeds. I know very well what it’s like to have... unsavory family members.” Her lip curled downward, as though she were speaking of some sort of pest. She turned to Milla, morphing her scowl back into a smile. “Please excuse my digression,” she said, offering her hand. “Might I have the pleasure of learning your name as well?”

“I am Milla Maxwell,” Milla responded, accepting the handshake.

“Ah, what a lovely name. Are you perchance named after the great spirit of legend?” Luiza asked.

Milla proudly placed her hands on her hips. “No, I’m not. I actually  _ am _ that great spirit of legend.”

A look of surprise flashed on Luiza’s face. “Oh, is that so?” she said, clasping her hands together. “I didn’t expect that we would have a celebrity from the spirit realm among our ranks tonight. Rowen certainly doesn’t disappoint in his choice of guests, does he?” She chuckled, her hand in front of her mouth. “In any case, I hope the two of you enjoy yourselves this evening.” 

“Thank you kindly,” Alvin said. He took her hand in his and kissed the back of it. She smiled at him, curtsied, and walked away.

Once she was gone, Alvin let out a long, drawn out sigh. “This one’s going to be trouble, I can tell,” he said to Milla. 

“What’s going to be trouble?” Jude asked, approaching Alvin and Milla. He focused on trying to hold three flutes of champagne in his hands without dropping them. “Here, I got one for each of us.” He leaned over towards Alvin, and Alvin took one of the drinks from him. Jude handed a second one to Milla, keeping the third for himself.

“Thanks, I could use this,” Alvin said, taking a less-than-dainty swig from it. “We just bumped into the grand hostess herself. It looks like she’s everything Rowen talked her up to be: regal, charismatic, and likely to kick my ass in hand-to-hand combat.” He took another drink.

“Sounds like your type,” Jude joked, and Alvin struggled to keep from spitting out his champagne.

“ _ Very funny, _ ” said Alvin, after a few seconds of coughing and sputtering. He shot Jude a glare, but was unable to hold it steady. He couldn’t help but grin -- Jude was just too cute when he teased him like that.  _ Damn him,  _ he thought. “Please. After Presa, I think I’ve had enough of women that could suplex me.”  The crystal chandelier dimmed, and the string quartet was accompanied by a piano and soft drums. Patrons of the event began to make their way to the dance floor. He always did appreciate a good waltz... “Actually, I change my mind about that,” he said, smirking at Milla. “May I have this dance?”

“Only if I can suplex you afterward,” Milla replied, smirking back at him. She took a sip of her champagne. To her surprise, she liked it. 

“Uh, I dunno about that, Maxwell. You might break me.” 

“I suppose I could do without,” she said. “No frisky rappigs or slamming my friends into the ground at this party. How disappointing.” She finished her drink, placing the empty glass on the cocktail table. Alvin did the same.

“We’ll catch up with you in a bit, okay?” Milla said to Jude as she grabbed Alvin’s hand, practically yanking him out to the dance floor. 

Jude laughed, waving them along as he nursed his beverage. “You go do that. I’m not much one for dancing.”

Milla stopped at the edge of the parquet flooring, watching the other couples dance. She froze in place. “Didn’t you want to join them?” asked Alvin.

She nodded her head. “I do, but it just occurred to me that I don’t know any of these two-person dancing rituals. Can you teach me?”

Alvin laughed. “It’s not a ritual, it’s just for fun. It’s easy enough to learn, though -- just follow my lead.” He stepped out into the dance floor with her, guiding her arms into place. She watched him intently, observing as he moved into position. He placed a hand on her waist, lacing their fingers together with his other hand. “Okay, just hold your arms like this for now, and I’ll take you through the steps,” he said, his voice gentle.

“Okay,” Milla said. She stared into Alvin’s copper eyes, her own scarlet ones sparkling with interest, as she awaited further instruction. Alvin was caught off guard by the intensity of her gaze, and he briefly looked away.

“Right then,” Alvin said, his mouth suddenly dry. “A waltz pattern is pretty simple. Just count to the rhythm of the music: one-two-three, one-two-three, one-two-three. Now you take that rhythm and just use it to step in a box pattern, like this…” He guided her along the floor, patiently explaining the movements to her.

At first, Milla was a little clumsy, but after some practice and a couple of missteps on Alvin’s foot, she quickly adjusted to the steps. Within minutes, she was confidently striding alongside Alvin across the dance floor. “Oh, this is fun!” she said, beaming. “I can see why you humans would center an event around this.”

“Oh, we haven’t even gotten to the fun part yet,” Alvin said, a devilish grin forming at the corner of his lips as he pulled her in closer. “This is the part where I do  _ this. _ ” He wrapped his arm around her back.

Milla gasped as Alvin dipped her low to the floor, then dramatically swooped her back up. She stumbled, a blush creeping across her face as she tried to regain her footing. “H-hey! Warn me about that next time!” she snapped.

Alvin snickered. “Sorry, I just had to do it,” he said. “Couldn’t help myself.”

Milla stuck her tongue out, then promptly proceeded to dip him, causing him to yelp.  She leaned in close, a few errant curls of hair brushing against his cheek. “Payback,” she whispered playfully into his ear.

_ Damn. She’s cute, too,  _ Alvin mused as she pulled him back up to his feet. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I love a woman who can kick my ass." -- Spike Spiegel, Cowboy Bebop (also probably Alvin and Jude, lmao)


	13. Gala, Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Rieze Maxia and Elympios sit on the brink of war, Jude learns of the circumstances surrounding his kidnapping.

“At least  _ they’re _ having a good time,” Rowen said, standing next to Jude at the sidelines.

“Yeah,” Jude said, watching Alvin and Milla on the dance floor. He had to stifle a laugh as Milla dipped Alvin low, swooping him back up with vigor. 

“It’s a pity Marcia couldn’t make it tonight. I haven’t enjoyed some ballroom dancing in ages.” He swirled a glass of red wine in his hand, taking some time to savor the aroma before drinking it. “How about you? Have any good dance partners lately?”

Jude raised an eyebrow. “Is that supposed to be a metaphor?”

Rowen shrugged. “It can be.”

He sighed, tucking his hand in his pocket. “Well, let’s just say I haven’t done too much of the horizontal tango for the last couple of years.”

Rowen cracked a smile -- the first one Jude had seen since the gala started. “You should tango as much as you can while you’re young,” Rowen said wistfully, a knowing twinkle in his eye. “It gets more complicated when you get older. The number of opportunities tends to dwindle, as does the number of partners.”

“Sage advice as always,” Jude said, nodding. His gaze lingered on Alvin and Milla as they waltzed across the floor. “There are a couple of prospective dance partners I’ve had my heart set on lately… It’s a shame that the tango was made for two.”

Rowen chuckled. “I’ve broken that rule a few times, back in the wilder days of my youth. As long as everyone wants to dance, there’s no trouble in doing it all together.” He took another sip of wine and winked.

Jude bit his lip.  _ Shit. He knows. He totally knows.  _ He sighed. He didn’t think it was that obvious, but nothing slipped past Rowen. It made him a great tactician, after all. As strange as the matter was, though, it was comforting to have someone to confide in.  __ “I guess there’s no use hiding it from you, huh?” he said sheepishly.

“I’m not sure what you’re talking about,” Rowen said, still smiling. He rocked back on his heels and straightened his tie. “We’re just talking about dancing. If you’d like some advice about it, though, feel free to ask me. I won’t judge.”

Jude’s GHS vibrated in his back pocket. He fished it out and took a look at the screen. There was a message from Leia.

_ I know you’re at the gala, but this is an emergency. Please call me ASAP. _

Jude frowned. “I appreciate the offer, Rowen, but I’ll have to take you up on that another time.” He crossed over to the wall and ducked out through one of the hall’s many doors.

He stepped into one of Fort Gandala’s winding corridors. Unlike the main hall, this sector of the fort hadn’t changed since Jude’s last visit. The metal grating clanked underneath his feet as he searched for a quiet spot to talk. After a few moments of deliberation, he decided to make use of one of the nearby lab rooms.

After sliding the door open, he was surprised to see a large black bird staring at him from a fancy iron-wrought perch. Was this someone’s pet?

“Uh, hi there,” Jude said nervously, hoping not to provoke it.

“Hi there,” the bird repeated, looking at him with beady eyes. “Hi there.” It tilted its head, then preened its feathers.

“I’ll just be making a quick phone call,” Jude said to it, sidling up against the wall. “I’ll be out of your hair -- er, feathers -- soon, okay?”

The bird made a cooing noise. “Okay,” it squawked softly. It ruffled its plumage and closed its eyes. It didn’t seem too bothered by Jude’s presence.

Jude dialed Leia’s number and held the receiver to his ear. She picked up almost immediately. “Jude,” she said, her voice cracking. “Jude, this is really bad.”

“What’s wrong?” Jude asked. “Are you in trouble? Is everything okay?”

She took a shuddering breath from the other side of the line. “Trigleph is under siege,” she said, her voice low. “A bunch of ships sailed into the port and attacked earlier this morning. Hundreds have been killed, hundreds more injured and displaced. Elle and I got out safe somehow, but… our home...”

Jude’s heart sank. With the energy grid restrictions, it would be easy for someone to attack unsuspecting citizens while they had no natural light to defend themselves. Since Elympions were unable to travel without authorization, the culprits were most likely Rieze Maxians.  An attack like this was nothing short of a declaration of war. “I’m glad you made it out okay,” he said softly. “Where are you now?”

“We’re on the Torbalan Highroad,” Leia said. “Elle and I strayed off the main path -- it’s flooded with people right now. Probably safer to deal with the monsters.”

“Okay,” Jude said, pausing for a moment to think. “Do you still have Balan’s spare key?”

“Yeah,” she said.

“Then go ahead and stay at my place for now. I know the transit system’s probably down, but if you can get to Duval somehow, make yourselves at home.”

“Are you sure?” Leia asked.

“Of course. It’s a bit of a mess, but you can stay as long as you need. It’s not like Alvin and I are using it any time soon.”

Leia let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you. Seriously, thank you. You’re a lifesaver. I know you’ve got a lot on your plate, and I don’t want to be a burden--”

“ _ Leia, _ ” Jude said sharply. “You are never,  _ ever  _ a burden. You’re our friend. You and Elle are always welcome. We might not make it back to Elympios for a while, but we’ll always be here for you two. You can call us anytime you need us.”

“Jude…” Leia sniffled into the phone. “Th-thanks. I really needed to hear that right now.” After a couple of tiny sobs, she managed to compose herself. “We’ll take you up on your offer, so we should get going if we want to make it to Duval by dark.”

“All right. Stay safe, you two,” Jude said. “Let me know when you’ve made it to my place, okay?”

“You got it,” Leia said, a hint of cheeriness returning to her voice. “Bye, Jude. Talk to you soon.”

Jude slumped down to the floor, feeling small. He must have looked small, too, he figured, because someone opened the door and walked right past him without noticing him. It was a short statured man, clad in red robes.   _ Is that… Ivar? _

“Feeding time, Rio!” Ivar said cheerfully, reaching into his pocket. “Only the finest for you this evening, pretty boy.” He pulled out a satchel, and dumped its contents -- a tiny pile of dead crickets -- onto the desk underneath the perch. “Bon appetit!”

Jude stood up. “Ivar, is that you?” he asked, tilting his head.

“Yeah?” Ivar said, turning around. His eyes widened briefly when he saw Jude, but his expression returned quickly to normal. “What are you doing here?” he asked, struggling to maintain a neutral expression.

“I could ask you the same,” Jude replied.

Ivar crossed his arms and shifted his weight. “I happen to work here,” he said dismissively. 

Jude couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of deja vu at that moment. Something about Ivar’s voice and posture felt familiar -- not just from encountering him in years past, either. No, he felt like he’d seen him somewhat recently…

_ Light flooded into the room, revealing a short, lean figure.  He was dressed in black from head to toe, in somewhat baggy garments that concealed his shape. “I see you’ve finally woken up,” he said, his voice muffled behind a facial mask.  _

_ “I suppose you’re wondering why you’re here,” the stranger said, shifting his weight to one leg to the other and crossing his arms. _

“It was you…” Jude said incredulously, looking Ivar directly in the eyes.  He balled his hands into fists. “It was you, wasn’t it?!”

Ivar cringed. “Ah, shit. Yeah. I can explain,” he said.

“What possible explanation could you have for taking me hostage?” Jude said, his voice raised. He strode over to Ivar and grabbed him by the collar.

Ivar looked panicked. “Okay, okay, I fucked up.” He looked back at Rio, who was watching him intently. “You have every right to be mad. But please,  _ please  _ don’t upset the bird.”

Jude tightened his grip. “You drugged me, kidnapped me, and punched me in the gut… and you’re worried about upsetting a bird? Are you serious?”

Ivar winced. “You have no reason to trust me, but please trust me on this. You do  _ not  _ want to upset Rio. Let’s take this into the hallway. Please.”

Jude let him go. “Fine,” he said, still seething with anger. “But you will tell me everything.”

They stepped back out into the hallway, Ivar closing the door shut behind them. He let out a long, drawn out sigh. “Okay, first off, sorry for lying about Rio. He’s the most laid back bird I have ever met. He probably wouldn’t care if we argued in front of him. I made us leave because we were being monitored.”

“What?” said Jude, surprised. “By whom?”

“By Rio. More specifically, by Luiza Fenn, through Rio. She can see through his eyes. She’s probably busy mingling at the party, but I didn’t want her spying in on us.” He ran a hand over his own scalp, scratching the back of his neck. “She’s the one that hired me to retrieve you. She told me to bring you back to Fennmont by any means necessary.”

Jude narrowed his eyes. “And you thought that meant you had to kidnap me? Why didn’t you just ask me?”

Ivar scoffed. “Uh, because we hate each other? Besides, she wouldn’t tell me why she wanted me to retrieve you. I doubt I could get you to willingly come with me without a good reason.” He looked down, scuffing his foot on the metal grating. “Also, that’s why I was kind of an asshole. Sorry about the whole good-cop-bad-cop schtick.”

Jude sighed. He didn’t have time for petty rivalry. “Whatever,” he said.  _ No wonder my captor didn’t seem that intimidating… that never was Ivar’s strong suit. _ “I guess by some stroke of luck, Luiza managed to get me to her anyway, huh?”

“Yeah,” Ivar replied, looking down. He pressed his lips tight together, deliberating on what he should say next. “Well, I guess you should know this, too: I also summoned Milla. I thought I failed, but I guess not. She’s here tonight with that one mercenary friend of yours. His name was Albert, right?”

“Alvin,” Jude corrected. “And yeah, I know. I came here with both of them. She’s the one who helped me escape your dumb trap.”

“Hey, I set it up that way on purpose!” Ivar snapped indignantly, but then covered his mouth. After receiving a questioning look from Jude, he sighed and waved his hand. “I’ve said too much, but really, I don’t care anymore. Look, I may be stupid, but I’m not stupid enough to leave a hostage completely unattended. I tried summoning Milla because I knew she’d help you escape.”

Jude blinked, intrigued by this revelation. “Aww, you had a change of heart, didn’t you?” he said, a smirk on his face.

“As if!” Ivar said, rolling his eyes. But then his voice turned serious. “I’ve worked for Luiza for a couple years now. At first, she was a great employer -- easy work, decent pay, no questionable morals. All I had to do was polish some weapons, feed her bird, and manage her publicity. But as she’s gained power, she’s changed. And honestly, between you and me, I think she might become a real threat to both Rieze Maxia and Elympios. She was going to pay me a lot to kidnap you and bring you to her, but in the end morals won out over money.”

_ Wow,  _ thought Jude, taking in what Ivar had just said.  _ So this was Luiza’s plot the whole time. What could she possibly have wanted with me? _

“Anyway,” Ivar continued, mildly embarrassed. “I’m sorry I pulled that crap on you. You don’t have to forgive me. But I do want to ask you a favor: take care of Milla, okay? If there’s anyone who can take her down, it’s the two of you and your friends. I know I can trust you if it comes down to that.”

“I’m still pissed,” said Jude, frowning at him, “but I think I’ll get over it. Thanks for the intel. We’ll keep an eye on her.”  _ Besides, thanks to you, I get to see Milla again,  _ he thought to himself, but didn’t say out loud.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not gonna lie, I'm not terribly thrilled with the pacing on this chapter. There's a lot of dialogue and exposition, but not very much action this time around. Ah, well. Now I can get back to things actually happening. See you next Tuesday.


	14. Guest Room

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The party returns from Fort Gandala. Alvin interrupts Jude in the middle of his research.

The carriage ride back to Sharilton was far more somber than the one to Fort Gandala earlier that evening. 

Rowen sat hunched in his seat, his hands folded in his lap. The announcement of Rashugal’s reinstatement as an independent country had been met with mixed reactions -- plenty of cheers from secessionists, disapproval from unification supporters, and an overall sense of unease from the moderates who made up the majority. Rowen would remain the leader of Auj Oule, taking up Gaius’ former position. That, fortunately, was met with little resistance, since his reputation as Gaius’ right hand man made him seem like a natural choice. It wasn’t what Rowen wanted, but he would accept the responsibility regardless.

Jude had waited until they were on the road to tell the party what had happened in the back room. This turned out to be a wise decision on his part -- both Alvin and Milla were furious. Alvin made a hasty threat on Ivar’s life, which Jude found flattering but asked him to reconsider. Milla was mildly upset with the circumstances of her summoning, but was even more angered when she’d heard about the attacks on Trigleph. As conflicted as she was about the energy crisis, she knew that murdering Elympions in cold blood was not an acceptable solution.

The carriage pulled in past the gates, coming to a stop at the Sharilton Manor. Tired and conflicted, the group disembarked. Driselle had graciously offered to let them spend the next few days at her estate while they sorted out their thoughts and crafted a plan of action. They headed inside, leaving their shoes at the door.

“Well, I’m glad that’s over with,” Driselle said, stretching her arms over her head. “Come on, Milla. I’ll help you take down your hairdo before we go to sleep.”

Milla’s demeanor improved slightly at the prospect of having all those damn pins taken out. “I appreciate it,” she said, following Driselle up the staircase. 

Rowen bid the group goodnight as well, heading over to his former servant’s quarters to sleep. He’d come a long way from his days as a simple butler, but he liked to return to his old room from time to time. He enjoyed the nostalgia of sleeping in his old bed. Alvin slipped off quietly into a guest room, shutting the door behind him.

That left Jude alone in the foyer. He wasn’t ready to sleep yet, so he rustled around in his bag and pulled out Dr. Haus’ medical thesis binder. He carried it up to his guest room. After removing his jacket and tie and draping them across the bedpost, he sat on the edge of the bed, opening the binder on his lap.

Jude skimmed over the contents: apparently, Haus’ research project was focused on therapies for individuals with undeveloped and underdeveloped mana lobes. His subject population was drawn from a wide population, with equal representation of urban and rural communities in both Auj Oule and Rashugal. They varied in age, gender, and occupation. Jude smiled -- Haus always emphasized a diverse pool of subjects when conducting research, and it seemed his value of statistical accuracy was with him long before he became a doctor. The case studies inside could be incredibly valuable. He felt excited, knowing that the key to solving the Elympion energy crisis could be somewhere in that binder.

Jude’s studies were interrupted by a couple of soft knocks on the door. “Door’s open. Come in,” he said, continuing to read.

Alvin opened the door and stepped into the room. “Way too trusting,” he said, shaking his head. “You should at least check who it is before letting someone inside if you don’t want to get kidnapped again.”

“Noted,” Jude said idly, his attention still fixed on the journal’s contents. He patted the spot next to him on the bed. “You’re up rather late. Can I help you with something?”

“Can’t sleep,” Alvin said, taking a seat next to Jude. “Mind keeping me company for a bit?”

“Sure,” Jude said, snapping the binder shut and placing it on the floor. After how much they’d discovered in the past few days, he figured his research could wait until the morning. “Something bothering you?”

“Mm, kinda,” he said, lying down on the mattress. “Tonight… could have gone better.”

“Really? It looked like you and Milla were having a good time.” Jude grinned, remembering the flustered look on Alvin’s face as Milla dipped him to the floor.

Alvin laughed. “Well, yeah, that was fun. For what she lacks in experience, she makes up for it with enthusiasm. You should try dancing with her sometime.”

“Yeah, I probably should... You seemed pretty upset on the way back, though,” Jude said, lowering himself down next to Alvin. “Everything all right?”

Alvin paused, looking up at the ceiling. He seemed tired. “No, not really,” he admitted, closing his eyes. “We’re standing at the brink of war, and Leia and Elle are stuck in the thick of it. Rowen’s losing face from the Rieze Maxian split, and the one spearheading it is Nachtigal’s daughter.” He frowned, ire creeping into his voice. “Not to mention she hired your kidnapper, and we mingled with him when I should have been kicking his ass for what he did.”

Jude took Alvin’s hand in his own. “I didn’t realize just how upset that made you. Were you really that worried about me?”

“Of course I was!” Alvin snapped, but then he lowered his voice. He cleared his throat, absentmindedly stroking Jude’s hand with his thumb. “Sorry. Do you have any idea how hard it was to keep it together while you were gone? I looked everywhere for you, not knowing if you were alive or dead. I was scared.”

Jude was touched by Alvin’s concern -- he was used to the little things Alvin did, like offering him coffee and chastising him for overworking himself, but this was the first time he’d been so direct about it. “Hey, it’s all right,” Jude said gently, squeezing his hand tight. “I’m here now. I’m not going anywhere, I promise.” 

“How can you be so calm about this?” Alvin asked, clenching his other fist. “Ivar’s lucky you told me after we left -- I don’t know if I could have restrained myself if I found out earlier.”

“I know you would have held back,” Jude said. “Ivar’s an idiot, but he’s not worth punching out in front of a room full of politicians. I just wanted you to have a good time while we were still there.” He smiled and ruffled Alvin’s hair.

“You and your damn logic.”

“Really, though, I’m sorry I made you worry so much,” Jude said.

Alvin shook his head. “You’re the one who got kidnapped, and you’re worrying about my feelings? You… you’re something else, Jude.” He paused for a moment, his expression unreadable. “Sorry about this.”

“Huh?” said Jude. “You have nothing to apologize--”

Alvin grasped Jude’s collar and pulled him in close, pressing Jude’s lips against his own and capturing him in a passionate kiss. 

Jude was frozen in place, completely stunned. His heartbeat thundered in his chest, the pulse reverberating in his ears. He could feel his limbs going numb. He couldn’t believe what was happening... or how much he’d wanted it to happen. “Alvin…” he murmured, tracing his fingers along his jawline.

Alvin recoiled. “Sorry. That was selfish of me,” he muttered, looking ashamed. He got up wordlessly from the bed. 

“Wait. Don’t go,” Jude pleaded, grabbing Alvin’s wrist. He looked him in the eyes, his face flushed, and swallowed. “I… I want to be selfish, too.” He stood up and closed the space between them, wrapping his arms around Alvin’s waist. He rested his head on Alvin’s chest, and found he wasn’t the only one whose heart was racing.

“I’m sorry,” Alvin said again. “I shouldn’t have done that, knowing how you feel about Milla.”

Jude took a deep breath. He tried to choose his words carefully. “I’m still in love with her,” he admitted. “I won’t deny that. I  _ can’t _ deny that. But that doesn’t change my… my feelings for you.” Now that the truth was out in the open, his heart ached. There was no way they were going to get out of this without someone getting hurt. This wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair at all.

Alvin said nothing, lightly rubbing circles on the small of Jude’s back. He wasn’t sure what to say. What  _ could _ be said at a time like this? 

“I’ve felt this way for some time now,” Jude confessed, his voice steady now. “At least since New Year’s, if not longer. Maybe it was the booze, maybe I was lonely, maybe it was how close you were to me, but something felt different, and I… to be honest, I really liked it. I wanted more of it. I still do.” He swallowed. “I know this isn’t supposed to be okay, but something about you just feels right.”

Alvin sighed, his hair drooping into his face. “Well, you can probably guess how I feel about you. Five years of living together, and we don’t come to this conclusion until now. Impeccable timing on our part, huh?”

Jude gave a sad smile. “Yeah, no kidding.”

“So, where do we go from here?” Alvin asked.

“I don’t know.”

They stood in silence, contemplating their situation. Jude had tried to ignore the building tension between himself and Alvin, he really did. He’d had years of practice bottling himself up, but it wasn’t enough -- despite his best efforts, it had all come to a head tonight anyway. He’d wanted to prioritize saving the world before trying to sort his emotions out, but who was he kidding? Life’s complications never cared if he was ready.

“Oh, to hell with this!” said Jude, gripping the front of Alvin’s shirt. “I don’t know where this is going, but I know what I want right now.” He pinned Alvin against the wall, kissing him hard. A picture frame fell off the wall, landing on the floor with a thud.

“Easy, now,” said Alvin, drawing his head back with a look of amusement on his face. “I like your enthusiasm, but you’re gonna wake up the whole house at this rate.” Before Jude could apologize, Alvin drew in again for a long, tender kiss. Jude leaned into him, savoring the rush he felt as their lips moved in tandem. When they withdrew, Alvin traced his thumb across Jude’s cheek. “You sure this is what you want?” he asked. Jude nodded.

They made their way back to the bed. Jude sank down slowly, pulling Alvin down with him into another long kiss. Alvin straddled Jude’s hips, sliding his fingers underneath his shirt and scratching lightly up and down his back. They were rough and calloused, the sensation of them sending a pleasant chill up Jude’s spine. He reached behind Alvin’s head, grabbing a fistful of hair at the nape of his neck, and pulled him in closer. The movement of their lips became more frenzied with each passing second, stopping only when the need for air became too much.

It was Alvin who eventually broke the contact, his lips red and swollen. He pushed Jude forcefully onto the bed and dipped down to his neck, trailing kisses across his skin. Jude became acutely aware of Alvin’s hips grinding against his own, whimpering softly as he tried to match his movements. Alvin’s mouth came down hard on Jude’s collarbone and he sucked hard, causing Jude to gasp and arch his back. He bit his lip, pleasure and pain alike contorting his features. He felt good.  _ Damn,  _ he felt good.

Alvin withdrew again, his hands trailing down Jude’s chest and abdomen. He started to unbuckle Jude’s belt.

Jude froze in place, staring at Alvin with his eyes wide open. He swallowed. As much as he wasn’t prepared for what happened tonight, he especially wasn’t prepared for this.

Alvin stopped, looking concerned. “Hey, you all right?” he asked.

“Y-yeah,” Jude stuttered, a flush creeping down his neck. His mouth was dry. “Sorry, I’ve just never… um… you know… with a guy before, and…”

“Easy, easy,” Alvin said, looping the belt back into its buckle. He sighed and gave Jude a sympathetic smile. “Don’t push yourself into anything you don’t want to do.” He patted his thigh and dismounted him, rolling over next to him on the bed.

“It’s not that I don’t want to,” Jude said, grabbing Alvin’s hand. “I just don’t think I’m ready for this yet. Sorry.”

Alvin squeezed his hand back. “Don’t worry about it,” he said. “Shit, I’m surprised you went as far as you did.” He got up from the bed, stretching his arms up high over his head. “Well, I should probably get going. This was fun. We should do it again sometime.”

“Oh, you’re going already?” Jude asked, sitting up. He looked flustered. “You can spend the night with me if you like.”

“Uh, pass,” Alvin said, waving his hand. “It’ll just raise questions from everyone else if someone catches me sneaking out of your room in the morning. Makes it harder for me to be your dirty little secret.” He winked.

Jude sighed, looking down at the floor. “You know it’s not like that,” he said quietly. He’d already hurt Leia by sneaking around before. He didn’t want to do that to Alvin, too.

“I know,” Alvin said, placing a hand on Jude’s knee. “It’s a complicated situation. I’m good at navigating gray areas, though. Let me know if you want to do this again. Or never do this again. Whatever.” He leaned in and pecked Jude on the cheek. 

“I’ll think about it,” Jude said, smiling at him.

“Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll need some alone time to take care of a certain problem you caused,” Alvin said cheekily, bringing his hand down to his waist and making a lewd gesture. “If it helps, you can think about me while you take care of yours, too.” He winked.

Jude’s face turned bright red with embarrassment. “G-get out of here!” he squeaked, grabbing a pillow and burying his face in it.

Alvin sauntered out of the room, snickering to himself. He closed the door silently behind him, leaving Jude in the wake of what had just transpired.

Jude flopped backwards onto the mattress, clutching the pillow to his chest. He inhaled deeply, taking in the scent that Alvin had left lingering on him. Spirits above, what had he gotten himself into? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoooooo boy, happy Tuesday, y'all. I was gonna hit you with some more slow burn, but fuck it -- it's Aruju week. :)


	15. Triangles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Jude commits a minor indiscretion, Milla comes up with an unconventional solution.

Milla stood in Driselle’s bathroom in a fluffy pink towel, with a second one wrapped around her head. It had taken considerable effort to wrap her hair in just one towel, but somehow she’d managed to contain it. Normally she’d just let it air out, but she figured it was probably rude to let it drip all over the bathroom floor. 

Driselle had a lot of bottles on her counter, and Milla examined them closely as she brushed her teeth. They spanned a wide variety of uses, from moisturizers to hair styling products to… eau de toilette, whatever that was. She assumed that most women didn’t use this many cosmetics -- Elize and Leia had never carried them around, anyway. Driselle had said that maintaining appearance was critical in her position. Milla admired the amount of time and effort she’d put into her job, even if she didn’t quite understand it.

She finished drying off and changed into her usual outfit, which Rowen had washed and dried for her. Driselle had insisted that he wasn’t her butler anymore and that he didn’t have to run the laundry, but he’d done it anyway in the early morning. While it was polite of him, Milla suspected that he just wanted some busy work to distract himself from politics.

Milla walked over to the dining area. To her surprise, there was a sizable spread of different breakfast foods set out on the countertop. She could hear Rowen humming from the kitchen, as well as the sizzle of bacon being cooked on the stove. “I told him not to do it,” Driselle said, sitting at the dining table with a bowl of chopped fruit. “I told him that he is a guest in my home now, not a servant, but he just doesn’t listen.”

“I’m not complaining,” Alvin said with a shrug. He scooped a small pile of seasoned potatoes onto his plate, followed it up with some scrambled eggs, and took a seat. “Morning, Maxwell,” he said to Milla as she entered the room, and shoved a forkful of food into his mouth. He had shaved, showered, and changed into fresh clothes. It seemed he hasn’t slept too well, though -- Milla noticed the dark circles under his eyes and the large mug of coffee he’d set on the table.

“Good morning,” Milla replied, looking over the spread. After a few minutes of indecision, she decided to take a little bit of everything. She loaded up her plate, poured herself a glass of napple juice, and took a seat at the table. Outside the window, it was raining outside. It didn’t seem like it was going to stop anytime soon.

Once Rowen had finished cooking, he served himself a piece of toast and sat down with everyone else. The group ate their food together and made small talk. According to Rowen, Elize was at the top of her class at Talim Medical School, and she would be graduating soon. Milla wasn’t surprised. Elize had excellent healing skills, and they’d relied on her almost as much as Jude in the past. Alvin brought the group up to speed on the Great Mutton Scandal, and revealed that several stand owners had been caught mixing rat meat into their mutton to compensate for the recent price hikes of lamb. Milla didn’t see what the big deal was -- meat was meat, after all -- but everyone else found the dishonesty offensive.

“Hi, everyone,” Jude said, walking into the room in jeans and a tank top. He still had bedhead, and he looked just as tired as Alvin did, if not more so. He yawned and rubbed his eyes before grabbing himself some breakfast.  When he took a seat at the table, an awkward silence took the room. Driselle whispered something into Rowen’s ear. Alvin looked at the floor. Milla wasn’t quite sure what was happening, but something seemed off.

“Is something wrong?” Jude asked, confused.

Rowen cleared his throat, looking both amused and mildly uncomfortable. He struggled to find a polite way to address him. “Jude… your neck,” was all he could manage. Now that he mentioned it, Milla could see a red spot right on Jude’s collarbone. It was starting to bruise. Did something happen to him?

Jude slapped his hand over the spot, the color draining from his face. He looked absolutely mortified.

“Oh, my,” Driselle said, turning to Milla with a coquettish smirk. “And here I thought you’d went straight to bed last night after I took your hair down.”

Milla blinked. “I did,” she said.

Driselle dropped her fork. She stared at Jude, who seemed like he wanted to crawl under a rock. “Wait. If not Milla, then…”

Rowen’s eyes widened in understanding. He looked over at Alvin, who was the only one in the room that maintained a straight face.

Suddenly, everyone was staring at Milla. She didn’t know why. “... What? Am I missing something?” she said, frowning.

“Oh, Milla, honey… yeah, I’d say so,” Driselle said sympathetically.

Alvin placed his hand flat over his face, letting out a long sigh. “Jude. Milla. Team meeting. Upstairs. Right now.” He got up from his seat, ignoring the stares from Driselle and Rowen, and grabbed Jude’s wrist.  He practically yanked him out into the foyer, motioning for Milla to follow them. They convened upstairs in Jude’s room. 

Alvin shut the door behind them. “Your discretion is  _ impeccable _ ,” he said to Jude, his voice laced with sarcasm. “What the hell were you thinking?”

“Clearly, I wasn’t!” Jude said, covering up the spot with his hand. He looked like he could die from embarrassment. “I forgot to cover it up when I was getting dressed. I didn’t realize… ugh, fuck. This is bad. This is so bad.”

Milla crossed her arms. “Obviously, I’m not getting something,” she said. She was starting to get irritated.“Why is everyone acting so weird over a spot on your neck?” she asked Jude.

Jude swallowed hard. He opened his mouth, but struggled to get words to come out. He gesticulated helplessly, then cleared his throat. “It… It’s a hickey,” he said weakly.

“A hickey,” Milla repeated, leaning to one side. She had no idea what a hickey was, but it didn’t sound good. Was it an embarrassing skin condition, maybe? “I’m not sure what you mean.”

Jude took a deep breath and released it slowly, scratching his head. “You sure you haven’t read about it in any books?” he asked.

“I don’t think so. Can you explain?”

Jude looked pleadingly at Alvin, but he shook his head. “Nope. You got yourself into this mess. You can explain it to her.”

“What?! You’re the one who gave it to me!” Jude accused.

“It’s not my fault you forgot to wear a damn shirt this morning!” Alvin retorted.

“... Ugh. Okay, fine, fair enough. I’ll explain,” Jude said. He took a seat on the edge of the bed and invited Milla to sit down next to him. “So, with those books you used to read back at your shrine… did you ever come across a term called foreplay?”

She had to think about it for a second. The word sounded really familiar… where had she heard it before...? “Oh!” Milla pounded her fist softly into her other hand and nodded. “Right, foreplay. That’s when humans prime themselves for sexual reproduction, right? Things like kissing, groping, oral stimulation--”

“O-okay, yes, you have the idea!” Jude interrupted quickly, the tips of his ears turning pink. Alvin, who had previously looked annoyed with Jude, had to stifle a laugh as he leaned against the wall. “I’m glad you’re enjoying this!” Jude snapped. 

Alvin rolled his eyes.

“A-anyway,” Jude said, trying to regain his composure, “As I’m sure you’ve noticed, Alvin and I have been very, er, affectionate lately, and it’s led to some… uh, unexpected development. Last night, one thing led to another, things got heated, and… Alvin left a mark.” 

“So, Alvin gave you that hickey,” Milla said. 

Jude looked down, trying to hide his guilt. “Yes.”

“Hmm, I think I understand now,” Milla said, nodding. “Letting it show was an inappropriate public display of affection. I can see why everyone was uncomfortable. Jude, you should be more careful with your wardrobe choices.”

Jude blinked. “... Huh? That’s it?” 

“What do you mean, ‘that’s it’? Were you expecting something more from me?” she asked.

“Well, frankly, yes,” Jude admitted. “I thought that with how close our relationship was, you would feel betrayed about what I did.”

“I’d prefer you were more straightforward about it,” Milla said, placing a hand on her hip. “But why would I feel betrayed, exactly?”

“Because when you love someone, you’re not supposed to get romantically involved with other people,” Jude said. He cast an apologetic glance over at Alvin, who shifted uncomfortably in his spot.

Milla placed a hand on his shoulder, shaking her head. “Jude. I’ve told you before: I admire the capacity that humans have for love. I also think it’s incredibly foolish that they give it so many restrictions. You act as if romantic love is a zero-sum competition, even though your hearts are capable of love without bounds. It’s needlessly possessive. I’m not a human, and I refuse to play by human rules.”

Jude sat there for a moment, taking in what she said.

She smiled. “I know you like Alvin. I’m more than willing to share you with him, if he’s okay with it.”

Alvin and Jude were both caught completely off guard by her statement. They looked at each other, then back at her, not entirely sure how to respond.

“If that makes things too uneven, I can also date Alvin if that makes you both feel better,” she added, shrugging. “The love triangles I’ve read about usually revolve around one person having to choose between two potential partners. Usually, this leaves one or more partners feeling dissatisfied. But maybe with a more equal distribution…” She used her fingers to emulate pathways going in both directions between three points. “Yes. That would probably be more stable, having all partners both giving and receiving affection as needed.”

Jude and Alvin were still speechless, looking at her as if she were speaking a foreign language. They were used to Milla’s blunt personality and odd mannerisms, but it was still very strange to hear her discuss the idea of a three-way relationship so candidly.

“I don’t mean to confuse you,” Milla said. “Would you like me to draw a diagram?”

“No, no, I think we got it,” Alvin said, waving his hand. “It’s just… uh, wow. This is not how I imagined this going at all.”

“What you’re saying makes sense logically,” Jude assured her. “It’s just… hmm. To be honest, I’d never really considered such an idea.” The way he looked at Milla and Alvin, though, she thought he might be considering it now. 

“It’s unconventional,” said Alvin. He furrowed his brow in thought. “It would be new territory for us, and other people might not like it. There would also be a lot to navigate -- communication issues, jealousy, potential heartbreak. It’s a lot to take on.”

“It is a risk,” Milla said, nodding. “I understand if you think it’s too much to handle.” 

“That being said, it could actually work,” Alvin said. “I’ll think about it.” Milla smiled. Jude looked stunned. 

“I’ll think about it, too,” Jude added quickly. 

Milla hummed with contentment. “I’m glad you’re taking my idea into consideration. I’m here for you both no matter what conclusion you reach, so take all the time you need.” She turned on her heel and strode towards the door.

Glad that she’d sorted that issue out, Milla headed back into the kitchen to help Rowen out with cleaning up. After leaving so abruptly, she didn’t want to be rude and leave dishes behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rambling author’s notes ahoy!
> 
> I’d been hoping to write a chapter from Milla’s POV for a while now, and I think this one was a good place to do it! I want to write things from her perspective more often. As a human, it can be fun to try to get into a non-human’s head.
> 
> I haven’t really hinted to this very much in the fic, but I headcanon Milla as aro-ace! It will likely come up in future chapters, though I’m not sure how it’s going to play out. I don’t think she’d be repulsed by the idea of sex -- in fact, she probably would have a healthy curiosity about it and enjoy partaking in it, just like all the other fun human stuff she likes. I just don’t see her as particularly prone to sexual attraction. Same with romance -- sure, she likes expressing her affection and engaging in romantic behavior, but it wouldn’t be as motivated by attraction as much as a strong bond with the ones she loves.  
> I feel like that plays into how casual she is about her proposition, too. I mean, she is a spirit whose ideas about human social norms are mostly shaped from books, but she is aware of the idea of monogamy... and she’s just not into it. When she doesn’t prioritize sex and romance in her life very much to begin with, it probably just seems silly to put so much stock into finding a life partner for those things. Jude and Alvin, on the other hand, have been born and raised in a culture that treats monogamy as the default (and often only) option, so it’s a bit of a shock when she brings up the idea of all three of them dating instead of getting upset over perceived infidelity. I apologize if that scene still felt unrealistic -- writing the beginning of a polyamorous relationship is hard, especially if you’ve never been in one yourself. I’d love any feedback from people with actual lived experience.
> 
> So, there probably won’t be as much romantic/sexual tension going on from here on out. It’s a little bit of a bummer because slow burn is some HOT SHIT and fun to write, but now I also get to write more fluff, smut, and fluffy smut. It’s bittersweet, hahaha.
> 
> Thanks for reading, y’all. I’ll probably throw in some more fun stuff before getting back to the main adventure. See you next Tuesday!


	16. Sick Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jude comes down with a fever after overworking himself.

“I told you not to overdo it,” Alvin chided, placing a cold damp cloth on Jude’s forehead. Sunlight filtered in through the tiny window of their room at the Sapstrath Inn that morning, refracting through the glass of water on the bedside table. They were planning on catching a ferry to Leronde that morning, but Jude’s immune system had other plans.  

“Yeah, I know,” Jude groaned. “My bad.” He shivered a little as he pulled the covers over his shoulders. He’d stayed up late the night before, going over all the notes in Haus’ binder for a second and third time. He wanted to be prepared for when he brought them to Leronde. Unfortunately, the past few days of stress, uncertainty, and lack of sleep had caught up with him and left him a bedridden mess of fever and muscle aches. The trip to his hometown would have to wait.

Back in Sharilton, Jude had noticed that the profile of one of the research subjects seemed awfully familiar. He was an adult male from Leronde, and he had a career in the medical industry. Considering that the only medical facility in the town was his father’s small family-operated clinic, there was only one person that fit the profile: Jude’s father, Derrick Mathis. Their relationship still wasn’t particularly close, but they had reached a mutual respect for each other’s work over the past few years. Getting some information from him was worth a shot, Jude figured.

A few days prior, Alvin and Jude agreed that they’d had enough time to think, and they decided to take the plunge with Milla. Given their current situation, it made sense. They all trusted and cared about each other, and they were willing to put in the time and communication necessary to make it work. Besides, after all the hardship they’d faced over the past few months, a budding romance seemed like a nice change of pace. The news of their three-way relationship was met with mixed response -- Driselle offered a lukewarm congratulations, Rowen texted them a thumbs-up icon, and Elle was weirded out but ultimately went along with it anyway. Leia was very… Leia.

_ “Wait, what?” Leia asked, surprised. “Like… all three of you? At the same time? How does that even work?” _

_ “We’ll figure it out somehow,” Jude said from the other end of the line, shrugging. _

_ “Hmm, I dunno about that,” she said. “Like… how do you deal with jealousy? I would get so upset if someone else was kissing the person I like.” _

_ “It helps if you like both of them,” he replied. _

_ “Fair enough,” she said. She paused for a couple of moments, trying to figure out what to say next. Her voice softened. “I mean, I’ll have to get used to it, but congrats. I wish you three the best. I really mean it.” _

_ “Thanks, Leia.” Jude smiled. “That means a lot to me.” _

_ “Well, you’re my friend,” she said. “I might not totally get it, but if you’re happy, I’m happy. Once the travel restrictions are lifted, I want to see you guys and congratulate you in person, okay?” _

_ “Of course,” he said, beaming.  _

Leia and Elle were still taking shelter in Jude and Alvin’s apartment. The fighting in Trigleph had slowed down, but tensions remained high. The Elympion government (much to Chancellor Marcia’s dismay) took a radical isolationist approach, and decided to deport all people of Rieze Maxian descent from the continent and bar them from re-entry. They started their enforcement in Trigleph proper, sending hundreds of fleets of deportees to Rieze Maxia. Leia would be able to hide out temporarily in Jude’s apartment, but it was only a matter of time before the order took effect in Duval as well. She was fired from her job, and Elle faced the possibility of being homeless if she stayed behind.

That was all the more reason to head to Leronde -- if Leia was being deported back home anyway, they could reunite with her. Elle would likely travel with her, too. It would be a bittersweet reunion, but at least they had someplace to go.

For now, though, Jude had to sit tight while he recovered.

“You ready, Milla?” Alvin asked, adjusting his scarf. His blade was polished, his boots were tied, and he was ready to head out.

“Going somewhere?” Jude said hoarsely, lifting the washcloth from his eyes.

“We’re taking on some monster hunting gigs today,” Alvin said. “Since my international fruit salesman days are now officially over, I gotta pick up the slack with merc work.”

“Oh… right.” Jude placed the cloth back down and sighed.

With how tight travel restrictions were, Alvin and Yurgen had decided to close up shop indefinitely. Alvin wasn’t thrilled, but he would manage as a freelance mercenary for now. As much as he disliked the shady aspects of the job, at least he wasn’t tied to Exodus anymore -- if a listing required him to do something against his morals, he could just ignore it and pick another one. Yurgen, on the other hand, didn’t have it as easy. As the primary breadwinner, losing his job left his family in a tight spot. Jude sent some of his savings their way, hoping it would tide them over for a little while as they adjusted.

“Remember to bring some gels with you,” Jude said. “And call me if you need me.”

“You got it, doc,” Alvin replied. He leaned in and stroked Jude’s cheek. “Don’t worry too much. I’ve been doing this for years, and I’ve got Milla with me this time.”

Jude slipped a hand out from under the blankets to meet Alvin’s. He gave it a gentle squeeze. “I know you can handle it. Just… be careful, okay?”

“Of course,” Alvin said. “Rest up. We’ll need you in good shape when we head to Leronde.” Alvin withdrew from Jude’s side and turned to face Milla. “Ready when you are,” he said.

Milla nodded. “We’ll be back before you know it. Take care of yourself, Jude.”

“Okay. See you later.” Jude closed his eyes, listening to their footsteps as his boyfriend and girlfriend left the room. A goofy grin spread across his face.  _ Boyfriend. Girlfriend.  _ It was all still so surreal. The words still made him giddy. If the fever hadn’t caused his face to flush anyway, it would now. He couldn’t believe just how lucky he was to have them both. He curled up in his blankets, his head heavy, and fell into a peaceful sleep.

A couple hours later, his GHS buzzed on the bedside table. He grunted and rolled over, grasping it feebly in his hand. He squinted at the message on the screen. It was from Alvin.  _ Grabbing lunch. You want anything?  _ While it was nice of him to offer, nothing sounded appealing about trying to eat in his current state. It took him considerable effort to type out  _ no thanks _ and send it back.

As tempting as it was to go straight back to sleep, he knew that he needed to stay hydrated. Jude mustered what strength he could from his achy limbs to get up from the bed and refill his glass of water. After swallowing it down, he filled it again and crept over to the desk. He fumbled around in his bag for a panacea bottle, uncorked it, and drank its contents. Hopefully, that would help.

Jude looked up at the window, and he almost stumbled over at the sight of a large, black bird staring at him from a tree branch.  _ Rio?  _ he thought, bewildered. In the blink of an eye, though, the bird was gone. Jude rubbed his temples and groaned. Either Luiza was spying on him, or his fever was causing him to imagine things. Discounting neither of those options, he drew the curtains shut and wandered back over to the bed.

Briefly, Jude considered texting Alvin about it, but decided against it. He wasn’t at a particularly high risk of being kidnapped again -- even in his weakened state, it would be difficult for someone to drag his body from his locked hotel room through the lobby and into the bustling marketplace without being noticed. There was no need to make anyone worry. He could tell Alvin and Milla about it later. He curled up underneath the blankets again and went back to his nap.

The next time he woke up, it was to the feeling of Alvin’s palm on his forehead. “At least the fever’s down,” Alvin said quietly. “How are you feeling?”

Jude smiled and opened his eyes. “Better,” he said. “Your technique’s off, though.”

“My technique?” Alvin said.

“Yeah, for gauging temperature. If you don’t have a thermometer, the back of your hand is more sensitive to changes in heat than your palm. Lips work well, too.”

“Is this your idea of flirting, doc?” Alvin asked, smirking.

Jude laughed. “Please. As if I’d have to con you into kissing me.”

“Well, it’s working anyway,” Alvin said, leaning in and planting a slow, deliberate smooch on Jude’s forehead. “Hmm, yeah. Your fever has definitely gone down,” he added as he drew back. “I’d better check Milla, too. You know, for comparison.”

Milla, who sat at the edge of the bed, looked up from the book she was reading. “What are you checking?” she asked, and blinked as Alvin planted his lips on her forehead, too. She smiled. “Oh, that,” she said, going back to her book. 

“Mm, about the same,” Alvin said, grinning. “No fever on either of you. I’d say your prognosis is looking pretty good, Jude.”

“I’d hope so, after sleeping all day,” Jude said. “I should be fine by morning.”

“Good,” Alvin said. “For a doctor, you sure don’t manage your own health that well, do you?”

Jude shrugged. “Everyone has their bad habits.” He sighed, rolling over onto his side. “Though I could get used to you taking care of me like this. It almost makes me want to get sick on purpose.”

Alvin laughed at that and ruffled his hair. 

They spent the rest of the evening peacefully in the hotel room, reading and chatting with each other. Jude was amazed by just how natural it felt to be with both of them, free of the tension and misconceptions they had been dealing with before -- he could certainly get used to this, he thought. They were taking things slowly for now, allowing themselves to ease into the relationship gradually, but Jude had a good feeling about it. He drifted off to sleep for a third and final time that evening, feeling content.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little bit shorter and fluffier than usual today. Hope you don't mind. See you next Tuesday.


	17. A Visit to Leronde

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group heads to Leronde to reunite with Leia and ask Doctor Mathis some questions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone! Sorry this chapter is absurdly late. Things have gotten incredibly busy, and the fic had to fall on the backburner for a bit. For now, I'm dropping the scheduled updates -- while I'm not going on a complete hiatus, I won't be able to update as frequently as I did when I started. While I'm going to try to post at least 2-3 chapters a month, I can't guarantee anything. I'm hoping to go back to the regular Tuesday schedule by the end of the summer. Thank you all for your patience!

Jude leaned his head back, the salty sea breeze whipping through his hair. The midday sun beat down on the rickety old sailboat, tempered by the gusts of wind that flew past it. Small, choppy waves lapped against the edge of the boat. He leaned against the guardrails, watching Alvin and Milla dance on the deck.

“This one’s called the foxtrot,” Alvin said, guiding Milla’s arms into position. “We’ll start with the basic forward -- well, for you, it’s backward, but we can switch once you get the hang of it. This one’s a four-count rhythm: slow, slow, quick, quick. Like this.” He took two steps forward, then two to the side. Milla followed along.

“Good, good. All right, now for the turn. It’s kind of like the waltz. You just ease into it, like this...”

“You’re not going to dip me again, are you?” Milla asked, cocking an eyebrow.

Alvin laughed. “Not without a heads up this time, promise.” They danced along the deck, slowly at first, making a basic square with their footwork. As Milla picked up the basics, Alvin introduced variations, such as the promenade step and the progressive forward. Within minutes, Milla was following his steps with near perfect precision. Though they had no music except for the crashing waves, they kept themselves in rhythm.

Milla hummed. “I like this one,” she said, her hair swaying behind her as she stepped in time.

Alvin smiled warmly. “It was my mom’s favorite,” he said, and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. He led her into a spin. “She taught me how to dance, back when her health was still good.”

“Your mother…” Milla said. She stopped in her tracks, looking troubled. 

“Something wrong?” Alvin asked.

“I’m sorry,” she said with an apologetic smile. She dropped her arms to her sides. “I didn’t mean to bring back any painful memories. We can do something else if you like.”

Alvin shook his head. “It’s okay, I don’t mind. I had some really good memories of dancing across the kitchen floor with her.” He chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. “You know, she never forgot the foxtrot. She remembered every step, even when I had to hold her upright and she thought I was Balan. Memory’s funny like that sometimes.”

Milla paused for a moment. “You were a good son, Alvin,” she said.

“Eh, not really,” Alvin replied. He tucked a hand in his coat pocket. “I dumped her off on Isla and ran off to play mercenary. There are a lot of things I could have done better.” Milla opened her mouth to protest, but he held up his hand. “I know, I know. That’s in the past, though. Nothing much I can do now except try to be a better person, right?”

Milla nodded, smiling brightly. “Right. Leticia thought the world of you. She’d be proud if she knew you were trying to live up to that image.”

Alvin took her hands in his again. “I’ve still got a lot of learning to do, but thanks. That means a lot.” He leaned in close, brushing his lips up against hers in a tender kiss. He could feel the smile on her lips as she returned it.

Jude averted his eyes, blushing slightly. He always had trouble looking at Milla and Alvin whenever they were affectionate in public like this. It wasn’t so much a jealousy issue -- they both gave him plenty of attention, after all -- so much of a force of habit. He was accustomed to giving couples privacy during their more intimate moments. It turned out that the impulse to look away didn’t fade just because he was dating the couple in question. He would have to work on that.

And since he wasn’t looking, it caught Jude completely off guard when Milla swooped in and grabbed his hands, pulling him onto the deck. “Your turn,” she said playfully, putting his arms into position. “I’ll lead.” 

“Wait, what?” Jude said, bewildered. “Milla, I can’t dance.”

“Sure you can,” Milla replied. “Follow me.” She demonstrated the basic step, the way Alvin showed her. Jude attempted to follow along, but he was much less confident on his feet than Milla was. While he was able to memorize the basic foot pattern, he put so much effort into following it and not stepping on Milla’s feet that his movements looked stiff and unnatural.

“Wow, you really do have two left feet,” Alvin teased, placing his hands on Jude’s waist. “You’d think with how graceful you look on the battlefield, you’d be a better dancer.”

“Dancing is different,” Jude said, mildly flustered, but he loosened up a little with Alvin’s hands to guide him along. “Martial arts is all about pragmatism. I started out stiff on that, too, but it was easier to develop those movements when it was between that and getting my ass kicked by Leia.”

“Hmm, I see. Does this mean I have to discipline you so you can improve?” Milla joked, a playful glimmer in her eye.

Alvin grinned at Milla and snaked his hands down to Jude’s hips. “Mm, I dunno about that. Something tells me he might actually enjoy his punishment if it’s coming from you.” He squeezed Jude’s rear, causing him to yelp and jump a foot in the air.

“You two are the worst,” Jude said, feigning chagrin.

They arrived in Leronde a few hours later. Leia had gotten in last night, so the group decided to meet up with her at her parents’ lodge before heading to the Mathis family clinic.

Jude stepped cautiously through the front door of the Rolando family inn, observing his surroundings. Leia's mother was a crafty woman -- it would be prudent to brace himself for an ambush. Sonia, however, was in plain sight, standing behind the counter. “Well, well! If it isn’t Jude and company!” she said boisterously, her hands on her hips. She looked thoroughly amused. “What, did you think I was going to try a sneak attack?”

“I wouldn’t put it past you,” Jude said.  He relaxed a little.

She laughed. “I was thinking about it, but I conked Leia on the head last night after sneaking up on her. She told me that you two were out of practice, and, uh... I guess she wasn’t kidding. Felt kinda bad after whacking my kid’s noggin like that.” She looked a bit sheepish for a second, and then frowned. “But let that be a lesson to you both. No slacking on your training. You need to be able to protect yourselves.” 

“Understood,” Jude said, nodding. “Thanks. It’s good to see you, Mrs. Rolando.”

Sonia smiled. “It’s good to see you, too, Jude. Would it kill you to come back and visit more often? We’ve missed you back home, you know.”

He scratched the back of his head. “Well, with Leia and I both losing our jobs and homes in Elympios, we might be around more often than you think.” 

She clicked her tongue and shook her head. “It’s a damn shame,” she said. “As much crap as I gave you all for moving across the ocean, you really did a good job of making it out there on your own. I’m sorry you got wrapped up in that mess, but you’re young and resilient. I’m sure you can figure something out.”

Jude nodded. “Thanks,” he said. 

Leia walked in from the back room, wearing a frilly apron. An ice pack sat on her head, held in place by a scarf tied under her chin. She looked tired, but her face lit up at seeing Jude, Milla, and Alvin at the front desk. “You made it!” she said cheerily, sweeping the three of them into a hug. “I’m so glad to see you again. It’s been rough without you all around.”

“It’s good to see you, too,” Milla said, smiling back at her. “I’m glad you’re safe. Elle came with you, right?”

Leia nodded. “Of course,” she said. “She’s in the kitchen, helping with the lunch rush right now.”

“She’s a natural,” Sonia said, impressed. “Her techniques could use some refining, but she’s got talent and a great work ethic. With a little professional training, I wouldn’t be surprised if the girl ran her own restaurant someday.”

“Hmm… Why don’t you and Dad train her in exchange for room and board?” Leia asked, placing a hand on her hip. “She can have my old room while I’m out traveling with Jude, Alvin, and Milla. This way, she can gain practical experience, and you’ll get an extra set of hands during the busy season.”

Jude blinked. “Wait, you’re coming with us?” he asked.

“Of course I am!” Leia replied, bouncing on her heels. “I don’t have a home or a job tying me down anymore. I want to travel the world with you again. It’ll be just like old times.”

Alvin sighed. “I know this never stopped you before, but you realize that traveling with us could be dangerous, right? Most of our income right now comes from monster hunting, and there’s a very good chance that we’re political targets.”

Leia nodded. “I know. You three can probably handle it on your own, but there’s also strength in numbers, especially if you wind up on the battlefield. I want to help.”

“Her skills could be very advantageous,” Milla agreed. She extended a hand back to Leia. “I’m convinced. Welcome aboard.”

Leia shook her hand enthusiastically. “It’s great to be back!” she said, beaming. Alvin and Jude looked at each other and shrugged. There was no point in arguing with Leia or Milla. It looked like she would be joining them whether they wanted her to or not.

“I’ll discuss Elle’s situation with your father,” Sonia said to Leia. “You kids take care of yourselves out there, all right? And for crying out loud, give your family a call every now and then.”

“You got it, Mom!” Leia said.

After checking in at the Rolando Inn, they headed across the street to the clinic. As fortune would have it, business was slow today, and they had plenty of time to talk with Jude’s father. Leia chatted with Jude’s mother while Alvin and Milla sat in the waiting area. Jude entered the office area.

“Jude,” Derrick said, looking up from his desk. “What do you want?” 

_ As blunt and direct as ever,  _ Jude thought. “Hi, Dad,” he said, approaching him. He placed Haus’ binder on the front of his desk. “Do you remember a Dr. Haus, from Fennmont?”

“He was your professor, right?” Derrick asked.

“Yeah,” Jude said. “Before that, though, he did some really interesting research. He was working on ways to augment deficient mana lobes, and I noticed that one of his subjects was someone in the medical field from Leronde. That doesn’t leave many options, so I figured you’d be pretty familiar with the study.”

Derrick had to think about it for a bit, but he eventually remembered. “Oh, that. I was one of the participants,” he said. “I’m surprised you found out about that study. It was a long time ago.”

“I think it could be worth investigating, though,” Jude said. “Can you tell me what you know?”

Derrick sighed. “I can, but there’s not much to say.” 

“What do you mean?” Jude asked.

“He never got a chance to take that experiment into clinical trials. He couldn’t finish the project due to lack of funding.”

“What?” Jude said, surprised. “It could have led to a crucial breakthrough. I wonder why it got dropped.”

Derrick shrugged his shoulders. “It was probably a lack of demand. This was before the schism was dispelled, and the majority of Rieze Maxians had perfectly functional mana lobes.”

“I see,” Jude said, trying to hide his disappointment. “I guess that makes sense.”  _ Looks like a dead end. Now what should we do?  _ he thought to himself.

“Have you tried looking in his archives?” Derrick asked.

“I haven’t,” Jude said, shaking his head. “I wanted to check with you as a primary source first, but that’s a good idea. Thanks for your help.” He couldn’t recall ever seeing any related research when he was Haus’ assistant, but it was worth checking anyway. With a quick bow, he turned to leave his father’s office.

“Jude,” Derrick said.

Jude pivoted back on his heel. “Yeah?” 

Derrick looked like he was going to chastise him, but he held his tongue. “Stay out of trouble,” he said, after a moment of deliberation. “Elympios needs your help. Don’t be careless.”

Jude smiled. It was a roundabout way of saying it, but he could tell his father cared about him. “Yes, sir,” he said, and left the room.

“Find out anything from Derrick?” Alvin asked Jude as he rejoined the group.

Jude shook his head. “Nothing new, I’m afraid. There could be some more info in his archives at Talim, though. I’d like to head to Fennmont and do some poking around his files.”

“We can go visit Elise, too,” Milla added.

“Sounds good to me,” Alvin said, leaning back and crossing his arms behind his head. “We can get on the first ship tomorrow.”

“Great,” said Jude. Even if it was to help the world out of yet another predicament, fate always seemed to bring him and his friends back together. It was a decent silver lining, he thought. 


	18. Midday Sun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group meets Elize in Fennmont, which has been suspended in an indefinite daylight clime. She helps them gain access to Haus' research.

“You’re here, you’re here!” Teepo exclaimed with joy. He swirled around Jude, Milla, Alvin, and Leia, his head bouncing. “Our pals are here! Oh, I’ve missed you all so much!” He dove right into Alvin’s face, encasing his head in his unhinged fabric mouth. Teepo wiggled his rump excitedly as Alvin tried to pry him off.

“Goodness,” said Elize, with an apologetic smile. The sea breeze whipped around her long, blonde hair. “He hasn’t been that excited in a while.”

The atmosphere in Fennmont had changed dramatically since Jude’s last visit. Over the past couple of months, the spirit clime had gone through a major shift. Previously known for its neverending nights, daylight had begun to creep into the city’s atmosphere, gradually increasing little by little until it stayed there. It had started very slowly -- one night, the sky was just a little bit brighter than before. The next night, it was a little bit brighter. The following night, it was a little brighter still, resembling the dusk phase of a standard climate. Within a few weeks, the stars were no longer visible. Within a few more weeks, the city had completely switched over to daylight. Though spirit clime experts agreed that it was an unusual phenomenon, they estimated that the usual night sky would eventually return. For now, though, the city’s many streetlights sat unused as the citizens of Fennmont adjusted to the constant light. 

Elize had gone through some major changes as well. At seventeen years old, she was slated to graduate Talim Medical School within a few weeks’ time -- older than Jude was at his graduation, but still impressively young, especially given the lack of formal education in her early childhood. She dressed the part well, sporting a white lab coat, a student ID, and a pair of smart low-heeled shoes. Paired with the growth spurts she’d endured over the past few years, she was not only beginning to act like an adult, but look like one, too. Time sure flew by fast, Jude mused, remembering the scared little girl they’d met on their journey years ago. She’d come so far. 

“I see this brat hasn’t changed much,” Alvin said, holding Teepo out in front of him like a wet sack of garbage. Teepo wriggled himself free from his grasp, blowing raspberries at him in retaliation.

Milla smiled at Elize. “It’s good to see you again,” she said. “I wish we had more time to catch up, but I’m sure you understand the urgency of our situation. Would you mind taking us to the library?”

Elize nodded. “Of course,” she said, twirling a lock of hair around her finger. “I wouldn’t have much time to hang out anyway, with exams coming up.”

“Thanks, Elize. I appreciate it,” Jude said. Though she covered it well, Jude could still hear just a hint of disappointment in her voice. He felt a twinge of guilt for going so long without seeing her. He wondered if she was still lonely, even though she had plenty of classmates. As he could recall, it had been a little difficult to make friends when he’d attended Talim on his own. “You know, we’ll need to do some studying of our own once we’ve got the materials. Want to join us for a cram session?” he asked Elize.

Elize’s eyes lit up. “Sure, I’d love that,” she said.

“Then it’s settled,” Milla said, her hands on her hips. It seemed she was also satisfied with this arrangement. “Shall we go, then?”

“Yes,” said Elize, clasping her hands together. With a spring in her step that betrayed her practiced adult mannerisms, she led the group towards the university.

As they walked through Fennmont, Jude couldn’t help but notice just how different the city looked without its signature night skies. There was something soft and romantic about the way the streetlights used to light up the cobblestone roads. This period of suspended midday sun seemed strange in comparison, its harsh brightness bringing the dust, grime, and unruly weeds of the city into plain view. Though the constant darkness had sullied his mood when he first moved to Fennmont as a student, he found himself missing it a little as the sunshine exposed the city’s flaws.

Jude could overhear snippets of conversation from passersby as they made their way towards the university. It was easy for him to forget the worldwide turmoil when he was reunited with his friends like this, but the townsfolk didn’t forget to gossip about it.

“You know, I wouldn’t be surprised if the clime change is caused by Elympions,” a fisherman said, shaking his head. “Think about it. We were doing just fine until the schism broke. It’s one thing if they’re killing off spirits in their own continent, but now they’re tapping ours dry, too.” Jude cringed and tried not to butt in and defend Elympios. He had to remind himself that there were more pressing matters to attend to than misinformed prejudice. He walked on, pretending he didn’t hear anything.

“Hey, did anyone ever find out what happened to King Gaius?” another woman asked, while chatting with her friend on a park bench. “We got that news announcement back in December, but they never gave a cause of death or anything. It’s kind of fishy.” Jude hummed thoughtfully. She was right -- what  _ did  _ happen to Gaius? He made a mental note to ask Rowen about it later.

When they entered the library, Elize flashed her ID badge at the reference desk attendant. “Excuse me,” she said, taking a slight bow. “Could you please point me in the right direction? I’m compiling a collection of Dr. Patrick Haus’ work, and I’d like access to his materials.”

The attendant smiled with pity and stood up. “Ah, the admins put you on the archiving task, huh? I was wondering when they’d get around to that. He left the faculty years ago, but we’ve been so understaffed...” 

Elize giggled. “Yeah, I got stuck working on it,” she said, shrugging. “I mean, that’s one way to get in your field work hours, right?” Jude blinked, impressed with her ability to play along with the fake scenario on the fly. He couldn’t remember if she had always been this crafty.

“That’s the spirit!” the attendant said, jutting a thumb up in front of her. “You’ve got a lot of work ahead of you, though. It’s a good thing you brought some colleagues to help out. I’ll show you where most of his work is kept.”

“Thanks,” Elize said.  She followed the attendant’s lead, letting the rest of the group trail behind her. 

She led them into a sizeable back room, which held a melange of old furniture, broken book carts, and cleaning supplies. It was lit by a large fluorescent light, which flickered over the grimy concrete floor. Over in the corner of the room was a sizeable stack of cardboard boxes, filled to the brim with notebooks, binders, and loose packets of paper. “That’s all of Haus’ stuff,” she said, pointing at the boxes. “Good luck with the archival process. Come get me if you need anything else.” She turned on a heel and walked away, leaving them to sort through the materials themselves.

“Ugh, you’ve got to be kidding me,” Leia said, eyeing the large stack. “How are we supposed to know where to find the right info?”

Jude raised an eyebrow. “You’re a journalist. Aren’t you supposed to be good at research?”

Leia waved her hand dismissively. “No, my editors handled it. I got most of my info from interviews and field investigation.”

“Jeez, no wonder your boss gave you so much crap,” he teased.

“I had enough passion to make up for it,” she said. Ironically, there wasn’t much passion in her voice when she said it. He’d half expected some kind of rebuttal, but she didn’t seem to be in the mood for it. He noticed dark circles under her eyes -- maybe she was just too tired for her usual enthusiasm.

“Hey, quit stalling, you two,” Alvin said, rummaging through the boxes. “The faster we get started, the faster we can find what we need.” He grabbed some materials, and handed a stack to each of them.

“Thanks, Alvin,” Jude said, taking some binders from him. “Just so you all know, you can skim over most of this stuff. His main focus was on medicine, so it should be pretty easy to sort out anything that’s not related to mana lobe research or spirit-human relations.”

They spent the next few hours on the floor, sorting through Haus’ stuff. Elize sat nearby on a chair with a broken backrest, going over her exam notes, but occasionally stopped what she was doing to repackage the unusable data when the pile got large. By the time they were finished, most of the materials had been stuffed back into the boxes. The only useful pieces they found were a few binders from about a decade ago -- more mana lobe studies that Jude wasn’t even sure would yield any different results from the first binder. Still, it was something. It was worth a shot to investigate them further.

“That should do it,” Jude said, standing up from the floor. He rubbed his lower back, which was sore from sitting on the concrete for so long. He placed the documents in his bag, zipped it up, and slung it over his shoulder. “Thanks, everyone.”

“Now what’s the plan?” Elize asked. She placed a pink floral bookmark in her textbook and snapped it shut. 

A loud, clearly audible growl came from Milla’s stomach, and a slight blush crept across her cheeks. “I have a suggestion,” she said, raising her hand.

After grabbing some takeout from a nearby cart, the group sat around a picnic table in the university’s courtyard, chatting and enjoying their meal. “Most of the students and faculty are used to Teepo now,” Elize said, twirling some soba noodles around her fork from a cardboard container, “but he caused quite a stir when I first brought him.”

“I’m sure he did. He’s got no concept of personal space,” Alvin said. He took a bite of his Gaius dumpling -- they were a little bit harder to find these days, but they still had pockets of dedicated fans in Rieze Maxia’s larger cities. “Did he latch onto every face he could find?”

“I’ll have you know I was very polite,” Teepo said sourly. “I wanted to make a good impression for Elize.”

“It’s true!” Elize said. “He was on his best behavior in all of my classes. My professors loved him. Some of them a little too much…”

“They wanted to pick me apart!” Teepo whined.

“And I didn’t let them, did I?” Elize said, rolling her eyes. “Once I let them know about his origins, they backed off.”

“I’m glad that everything’s going so well for you two,” Milla said, smiling. She noticed that some of the sauce from her dish had dripped onto her thigh. “Hey, Leia. Can you pass me a napkin?”

Leia, who had been unusually quiet throughout the meal, looked up from her fried rice. “What, you couldn’t get one of your boyfriends to do it for you?” she said sardonically, grabbing a fistful of napkins from the center of the table and dropping them in Milla’s hand.

An uncomfortable silence took the table as they stared at her. Leia, a bit surprised at herself, looked away from everyone. “Sorry,” she said, her voice low. “I didn’t mean that.”

“Hey, are you okay?” Jude asked, troubled. He placed a hand gently on Leia’s knee, and she flinched.

“Don’t touch me,” she said, through gritted, but instantly recoiled at her own words. “I… I don’t…” Her hands, shaking, were balled into fists. “I’m sorry,” she said again, and swallowed. She got up from the table, taking her food with her. “I’m not feeling myself today. Please excuse me.” She dumped the container into the trash bin and walked away.

“What was that all about?” Milla wondered aloud, confusion and concern marking her features. She wiped the stain off her thigh, crumpled the napkin, and placed it in her empty food box. “Should I go after her?”

“No, let her be,” Alvin said, typing on his GHS. “Chasing her down will probably just embarrass her. Let me handle this.” Jude didn’t need to look over Alvin’s shoulder to know he was texting Leia. Alvin hit send and flipped the phone shut.

“Are you sure?” Jude asked hesitantly.

Alvin nodded, shrugging. “Yeah. I thought she was unnaturally cheery when we met up with her in Leronde. She tends to overcompensate when she’s feeling down so no one worries about her, but keeping up that kind of charade gets exhausting. I’ll talk to her when she’s ready.”

“Geez, you know her better than I do, and I have an entire childhood on you,” Jude said. He sighed -- now that Alvin mentioned it, something  _ did  _ seem off about her. He chastised himself internally for not picking up on the signs. 

Alvin clapped an arm on Jude’s back. “Nah, nothing like that. I’m sure you still know more about her than I do. I just spent a lot of my career being a manipulative bastard, so I got pretty good at reading people’s emotions.” He gave a self-deprecating grin. “It’s a good thing I’m not using my powers for evil anymore, huh?”

“Yeah, I guess so,” said Jude, returning a halfhearted smile.

Alvin’s GHS buzzed, and he flipped it open. “Yup, there she is now. I’m gonna go have a heart-to-heart with her. You guys stay put, and I’ll catch up with you in a bit.” He kicked his legs over the seat, stood up, and started walking.

Jude, Elize, and Milla sat in silence, watching him leave. Though the time on the campus clock tower read seven o’clock, the sun towered over the city in a suspended noon. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh... hey, everyone. I'm back, after like, what, 20 days? Yeesh. Sorry.
> 
> Full disclosure: Things aren't as busy as they were before, but I am currently entangled in a really gnarly depressive episode. I'm fine in that I'm neither miserable nor a risk to myself or others, but my passion is dormant as fuck and it's hard to engage myself with the people and activities I love. I'm trying to push through, and I managed to slowly crap out this filler-ish chapter, but it's a slow and painful process at the moment. Thanks for bearing with me.
> 
> The good news: hey, Pokemon Go is pretty neat, and walking around seems to help. I thiiiiink I'm finally starting to push through this slump? Like, yeah, I still feel like garbage 24/7, but maybe not rotting garbage anymore? Progress!


	19. In Hot Water

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leia confides in Alvin about her insecurities. Jude takes Alvin up on a standing offer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: This chapter contains NSFW content (hooray!!)

The wooden boards creaked beneath Alvin’s boots as he stepped across the dock. Leia sat perched at the end of it, her feet dipped into the calm sea waters. Her boots, socks stuffed precariously inside, sat behind her. The sun was still high in the sky, scattered beams of light glimmering across the ocean’s waves.

Alvin crouched down next to her and took a seat. “Talk to me,” he said.

Leia turned her head and looked at him, her eyes already glistening with tears.

Alvin blinked. “Whoa. That bad, huh?” He knew she was upset about something at the table, but she had to have been bottling it for a while if that was all it took to get her going.

She nodded quickly and buried her head into his arm. Her shoulders shook as she burst into a crying fit. He flinched a little at her unexpected candor, but kept his discomfort hidden. Feelings weren’t exactly his strong suit, but at least he could try to help Leia deal with hers. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her in, giving her a reassuring pat on the back.

“It sucks!” she said, choking out another sob and leaning hard into Alvin. “It just really sucks right now!” She balled up her fists and held them in her lap, her knuckles turning white. “I lost my home! I lost my job! I might never get to go back to Elympios again! I worked so damn hard, got as far as I could, and… and… and...” She trembled, fresh tears welling up in her eyes again.

“Yeah, that does suck,” Alvin said. Not the most comforting choice of words, he was sure, even if it was the truth. It didn’t really matter, though. He was here to listen, not to talk.

She let out a long, shuddering sigh, and withdrew from him. “It just feels like I’m being left behind,” she said, her voice quiet. She drew her knees up to her chest, resting her head on them.

“Left behind?”

“Yeah. I know it’s not true, and I know I’m not the only one who’s hurting right now,” she said, looking out over the ocean. “You, Jude, Milla, Elle… everyone has been affected by this war. We’re in this together, and I appreciate that. But I can’t help feeling like I’m the only one who isn’t coping with it somehow. I mean, Elize is graduating medical school, Elle’s building culinary experience with my mom, Jude’s got his important research. You’re all finding your own ways to keep busy and not dwell on it. I’m a bit jealous.”

“Well, yeah,” Alvin said. “Life goes on, whether we’re ready or not. Everyone needs something to cling to, right?”

Leia snorted. “Or two somethings, in your case,” she said.

Alvin smirked. “At least you can still crack jokes. Really, though, is it bothering you?”

“Well, I do think it’s a bit weird,” she admitted, “but I don’t think it’s a problem as long as you’re all okay with it.”  She paused for a second, and sighed. “Can’t say I’m not jealous of you, though. I mean, come on, I haven’t even landed a coffee date in several months, and somehow you wind up with both a boyfriend _and_ a girlfriend? Damn!” In a manner that seemed incongruent with her puffy, bloodshot eyes, she winked at him and elbowed him lightly.

“I just got stupid lucky,” Alvin said, shrugging his shoulders. “You don’t seem the type to hold a pity party for yourself over being single, though.”

“Oh, no, it’s nothing like that,” she assured him. She ran a hand back through her hair, watching a small flock of seagulls gliding over the docks. “I guess I envy the distraction more than anything else. It’s hard to stay focused on all the bad things in the world if you let someone good become the center of your world, you know?”

Alvin nodded. He couldn’t help but think back to what Jude had told him about their fling. That must have stung for Leia, putting so much energy into him when he couldn’t feel the same way. At least they didn’t have months or years of a one-sided relationship that could foster resentment -- not like the one he had with Presa. At least Leia and Jude could still be friends. Even if Presa had lived, he couldn’t ever see himself making amends with her. All he could do now was make sure he didn’t repeat his mistakes with Jude and Milla. He resisted the urge to say any of these thoughts out loud, though -- this wasn’t about him, he reminded himself.

“I don’t think that way anymore, though,” Leia continued. “I’ve learned that I can’t just use a relationship to escape my problems, even if it’s really tempting sometimes. I’m responsible for my own happiness, whether I like it or not.”

“You’re right,” Alvin said, nodding. He was glad she’d learned this far earlier than he did -- it would save her a lot of heartache later on. “That being said, it’s okay to let yourself take your mind off things for a bit. If you’d still like a distraction, I think I know what might make you feel better,” he said, standing up and dusting himself off. He extended a hand to Leia, who gladly took it, and pulled her up.

“What’s that?” she asked.

Alvin shrugged. “I dunno about you, but when I’m feeling powerless, I like to take it out on monsters. I saw a decent reward for a scorpion nest removal on one of the job boards. You in?”

Leia grinned. “You know, it _has_ been a while since I got to whack something with my staff…”

After their adventure, Leia decided to spend the night at Elize’s dorm. Alvin had offered her a spot in his room at the inn, but she declined. She cracked a joke about not wanting to be a fourth wheel, but then she realized the metaphor fell flat when most vehicles had four wheels on them. Alvin had a good chuckle at this, but resisted teasing her about it. She’d been through enough today. He whistled to himself as he walked back to the inn. She may have had a rough day, but he had a feeling that she was going to be just fine.

“Hey, guys,” Alvin said, clicking the door shut behind him. His voice was unusually casual, given the alarming amount of blood on his clothes. Jude and Milla were curled up together on the bed, each of them with a book in hand.

“Welcome back,” Jude said, sitting up. He cringed at the sight of the bloodstains on Alvin’s shirt. “Please tell me that doesn’t belong to you or Leia,” he said, pointing at his chest.

“It’s not ours, don’t worry,” Alvin replied, waving his hand. “I took Leia out on the highroad to blow off some steam, and she accidentally nicked a monster’s artery. On the bright side, though, we snagged a black egg on the way back.” He pulled it out of his pocket and flashed it proudly before placing it in his bag. “Should pay off our rooms for a week or so… well, maybe a bit less now that I have to replace this shirt.” He tugged at the bottom of it.

“Not a bad haul, all things considered,” Milla said, looking up from her novel. Surprisingly, it wasn’t one of those harlequin books like the ones Ivar kept around, but instead a collection of folktales that Elize had lent her. “Good job. How’s Leia?”

“She’s stressed out, but she’ll be okay. I think she just needed a good vent session.” He grabbed the back of his collar and yanked it up over his head, pulling the shirt off. He then crumpled it up and tossed it in the wastebasket. “I’m going to hit the shower,” he said, flexing his arms behind his back. He couldn’t help but notice Jude’s eyes locked on him, watching him as he stretched. Something told him it wasn’t just because of the caked blood and dirt on them.

Alvin swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry as he felt the heat of Jude’s gaze. “You know, the offer’s always open if you want to follow me in,” he said in a half-joking manner.

“No thanks,” Milla said, turning the page of her book. “I already showered this morning.” At first, Alvin thought it was a clueless dismissal, but then he caught a tiny smirk flicker briefly at the corner of her mouth. She swept a hand down Jude’s thigh and patted it, as if to encourage him.

Jude, to Alvin’s surprise, did not object. “Might have to take you up on it,” he said, folding over the corner of the page he was reading. He shut the book and placed it on the nightstand. “Go ahead and start without me. I’ll be there in a bit.” Though his voice seemed casual, there was a slight pink flush at the tips of his ears that hinted otherwise.

Alvin nodded and headed into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. He felt a slight flutter in his stomach -- was he actually _nervous_? He grinned at the thought, wondering just how long it had been since he’d felt this kind of anticipation. Sure, this wasn’t his first time stripping down for someone. He’d been with plenty of other men and women in this way, for both fun and profit. But despite his relative comfort with physical vulnerability, he couldn’t recall the last time he trusted someone enough to let his guard down like this. It was both exhilarating and calming, somehow.

He disrobed and stepped into the shower, letting the stream of hot water splash down his back. That outing had left him looking less than glamorous, but with a bit of vigorous scrubbing, he cleaned off all the sweat, blood, and dirt he’d accumulated on his arms and torso. Alvin hummed a little tune to himself, cleaning out the grime from under his nails while he waited for Jude.

Before long, Alvin heard a couple of knocks on the door.  He smiled. “Come in,” he said, and watched Jude’s silhouette from behind the curtain as he walked into the room. He waited for Jude to strip down, then stepped over to the side to give him room.

“Hey, Alvin,” Jude said, poking his head through. He held a hand out under the stream to gauge how warm it was, then peeled back the curtain and stepped in. He crossed his arms, shivering a bit as he acclimated to the change in temperature.

“Hey,” Alvin replied simply, leaning against the wall. He tried to act casual, draping an arm over Jude’s shoulder. The slight redness across the bridge of his nose, however, gave him away.

Jude raised his eyebrows, an amused expression on his face. “Are you _blushing_?” he asked incredulously, poking him in the chest.

“Who, me?” Alvin replied, swatting his hand away. He watched droplets of water drip past Jude’s ears, trickling down his neck.

“Hah, you are! You totally are!” Jude teased, and gave him a light jab in the stomach.

Alvin poked him back. “Pfft, shut up.”

A wild glint shone in Jude’s eye as he drew in close to Alvin, until their faces were only a couple inches apart. “Make me,” he whispered.

Alvin grinned. He adored it when Jude got cheeky with him. _Challenge accepted_ , he thought, shoving Jude gently into the wall as he went in for a kiss. Jude reciprocated with enthusiasm, moving his lips against Alvin’s in a steady rhythm. He wrapped his arms around his torso, pressing their bodies together as he ran his fingers up and down his spine. He could feel Jude’s heartbeat racing underneath his fingertips, the radiant heat of his flushed skin pulsing against his own.

Alvin sank a hand into Jude’s hair and gripped a fistful at the nape of his neck, pulling him in closer and deepening their kiss.  He hadn’t been this eager with him since that night in Sharilton, before they’d started dating. Maybe this time, Alvin realized, they would finish what they’d started that night. But then again… he paused. Best to make sure this time. He pulled back, his breathing shallow. “You sure about this?” he asked.

Jude nodded firmly. “I’m more than sure this time,” he said.

“Okay. Promise me you’ll tell me if I make you uncomfortable?”

“Yes.”

“Or if you don’t want to continue?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Or if I’m hurting--”

“ _Alvin_ ,” Jude said sharply, looking him directly in the eyes. “I’m not fragile, and I know you don’t want to hurt me. I trust you.” As if to reaffirm how sure he was, Jude drew in and closed the space between them with a passionate kiss. He molded their mouths tightly together with an increased vigor, pushing Alvin’s lips apart so he could sweep across them with his tongue.

_He… trusts me,_ Alvin thought, cupping a hand around Jude’s chin, stroking his cheek with his thumb. This wasn’t the first time Jude had said that. This time, however, he fully intended to deserve it. He skimmed his fingers down Jude’s neck, over his shoulders, across his chest, watching the trail of goosebumps he left in his wake. Alvin traced down his neck with his lips, pausing over the taut line of his throat, and nipped at him -- not hard enough to leave a mark this time, just in case -- and felt Jude arch into him as he let out a small gasp.

Jude returned the favor, clutching Alvin’s shoulders and rolling his hips forward. Alvin could feel Jude’s arousal brushing against his leg. Swallowing down a flash of nerves, Alvin slid his hand between them, giving it a light grip. Jude encouraged him with a buck of his hips, a raspy moan escaping from his throat. He continued with slow, gentle strokes, his eyes on Jude as he squirmed beneath him with every touch. It was breathtaking to watch. He could do this for hours, he thought, relishing in the absolutely profane noises coming out of Jude’s mouth.

Jude, on the other hand, couldn’t take more than a few minutes of this. “Alvin, _please,_ ” he begged, his voice ragged. He swept his soaked bangs out of his eyes, panting, and swallowed. “If you keep this up, I can’t… I’m going to--”

“Do it,” Alvin whispered, his breath hot on Jude’s neck. He gripped harder and increased his pace, watching the rise and fall of Jude’s chest as he whimpered beneath him. “That’s it,” Alvin said in a low voice, flicking his wrist back and forth in a steady rhythm. “Come for me, Jude.”

That was all it took to tip Jude over the edge. With a shuddering gasp followed by a long, drawn out moan, Jude did as he was told, releasing all over Alvin’s hand. He slumped over and leaned into Alvin’s chest, trying to catch his breath.

“You’re incredible,” Jude said finally, tilting his head upwards and capturing Alvin in another kiss. He followed up by trailing a fingertip down Alvin’s stomach, causing him to quiver slightly, stopping at his hipbone. With a somewhat shaky movement, he wrapped his fingers around the length of Alvin’s shaft and began to stroke him.

Alvin groaned at Jude’s touch, his erection already rock solid underneath his fingers. “It’s all right, you don’t have to,” he mumbled, knowing full well how weak his protest sounded. Jude paid him no mind and kept going, watching him as he practically melted in his hands. He’d said he’d never been with a guy before, but he could have easily convinced Alvin otherwise if he wanted to. He certainly had the instinct for it.

Jude, ever full of surprises this evening, stopped what he was doing and looked Alvin straight in the eyes. Before Alvin could question it, Jude sank down low, getting on his knees. With only a moment’s hesitation, he pressed the tip of Alvin’s cock against his lips, swirling his tongue around the head of it before taking it into his mouth. Alvin swore under his breath and leaned back against the wall, wondering where in the world Jude learned to do that.

Suddenly, Jude withdrew, coughing and sputtering.

“Shit, sorry,” Alvin said, reaching up and aiming the shower head away from Jude’s face. He’d forgotten that showers weren’t always the best environment for giving head.

Jude, however, took it like a champ, and took Alvin back into his mouth, his head bobbing back and forth as he worked. He made good use of his hands, too, gripping him where his lips couldn’t reach. _Spirits,_ Alvin thought, his groin throbbing. Sure, his technique wasn’t entirely refined, but _damn_ if he didn’t have the enthusiasm to make up for it.

Whatever reservations Jude had before were gone now as he sucked harder and faster, gripping Alvin’s thigh to steady himself as he picked up the pace. Alvin could feel a knot building in his lower abdomen -- there was no way he was going to last at this rate. He let out a loud moan, one that sounded obscene echoing across the bathroom walls. “Keep going,” he pleaded, his voice strained and his chest heaving. Jude gladly obliged, taking Alvin’s arousal out of his mouth and pumping it wildly with his hand.

A strangled noise crept up from the back of Alvin’s throat, his body shaking as he came on Jude’s hand. He let out a sigh of relief and stared half-lidded at Jude, who stood back up and gave him a quick peck on the lips.

Alvin and Jude both leaned against the wall, stopping to catch their breath and come back down to earth. They let the water stream down on them, basking in the afterglow.

“Feeling better?” Jude asked, smiling brightly.

Alvin laughed. “Yeah, I’d say so,” he said.

After their little escapade, they finished washing up and changed into their nightclothes. Jude practically stumbled out of the bathroom in his pajamas in an almost drunken euphoria, still grinning from the haze of endorphins and hormones. Alvin followed him out, feeling rather cheery himself.

“Welcome back. Did you two have fun in there?” Milla asked, looking up from her book. She hadn’t moved an inch since they’d left.

Alvin chuckled. “Something like that,” he said, giving her a quick peck on the cheek. “You should join us next time.” He went over to close the curtains, and paused. Maybe he was just imagining things, but it looked like the sun had moved, even if it was just a tiny bit. Perhaps the spirit clime would be shifting back to night sooner than expected. He drew the curtains shut, sealing off the daylight from the room, and walked over to the bed.

“I don’t think all three of us would fit in that shower,” Milla said as she scooted over, giving Jude and Alvin room to lie down.

Jude took the middle spot this time, leaving a space for Alvin at the edge of the bed. “Mm, probably not,” he agreed, his voice sleepy. “That’s okay, though. The bed will do just fine.” He scooted back into Milla, who placed her book on the nightstand. He waited for Alvin to crawl into bed, then wrapped an arm around his waist.

“I’m sure it will,” said Milla, snuggling up close. “Next time, I look forward to experiencing human sexuality with you. I’m sure you both have much to teach me.”

Alvin couldn’t help but grin at that. “Judging by how much you like eating and sleeping, I’m sure you’re in for a good time,” he said, and closed his eyes.  
For what wasn’t the first time, and what Alvin was fairly certain wouldn’t be the last time, the three of them cuddled up together and fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh, hey, guys! I’m back. Sorry for the wait. I don’t have any good excuses. A combo of heavy workloads, social obligations, and good old fashioned chronic depression kept me from writing, and it got more difficult to come back to it the longer I stayed away. I’m trying to fix that, though! The good news is, even though my motivation to do things I love like writing is very weak, I am currently in therapy and trying new meds and coping mechanisms, so that should help. I probably won’t drop this thing completely, even if I’m being pokey about it. I’ve also procrastinated on this chapter by webbing out how some future chapters are gonna go, so hopefully it won’t take around 2 months for the next update. Oops!
> 
> I’m not thrilled with how the beginning of this chapter turned out, but I’ve made my peace with it. I was trying to make a really nice friendship scene between Alvin and Leia, but no matter how many times I erased and rewrote parts of it, it felt forced and disjointed. I still don’t hate it enough to remove it entirely though, lol, so I hope you don’t mind dealing with it. Hopefully the fluffy Aruju shower smut makes up for it???
> 
> SEE YOU AGAIN HOPEFULLY IN LESS THAN LIKE 2 MONTHS THIS TIME GOD DAMN


	20. Interrupted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elize's graduation should be a time for celebration, but a building tension looms under the surface.

Nearly a week had passed since their arrival in Fennmont. In that time, the midday sun had finally begun to recede. It made way to a few days of brilliant orange sunsets, which cast a romantic light over the city’s towering buildings. Still, it was going to take some time before nightfall would return completely.

Yesterday, Jude had noticed something unusual while going through one of Haus’ texts: several pages had been torn out of one of his journals, which had been dedicated to vestigial structures in the human body and their possible uses. Most of it wasn’t very helpful to Jude’s research -- something told him that extensively studying the appendix and tailbone wouldn’t yield too many results for energy research -- but it seemed awfully suspicious that the section missing was labeled “Appendix A: Elympion Populations” in the table of contents. If there had been any significant breakthroughs in this area, Jude wanted to know about them.

Elize’s graduation ceremony was tomorrow. With only one day left of access to the library archives, they decided to make the best of it by rifling through the back room one last time to see if the missing appendix was anywhere in the piles of loose paper. Unfortunately, their search proved fruitless. With no further leads on the missing pages’ whereabouts, Jude figured it would be best to let the subject drop. Frustrated, out of ideas, and back at square one, he sat down on the front steps of Talim and tried to think of his next course of action.

The situation abroad had improved, but only slightly. A few days prior, the Rieze Maxian terrorists had declared a ceasefire and temporarily retreated from Trigleph, but not before causing massive damage. They’d caused hundreds of casualties and brought the transportation system to a standstill, but eventually they found themselves at a tactical disadvantage against Spyrix war tech, even with the nation’s careful energy rationing. For the time being, Elympios was no longer in immediate danger, but the attacks had exposed crucial vulnerabilities in its infrastructure and it would take them time to recover. To add to that, the energy used in the skirmishes only spurred an additional loss of mana in the atmosphere. With rising tensions between the two continents, it was likely that Rieze Maxian antagonists would seek to take advantage of Elympios’ weaknesses and attempt to wipe them out completely. The pressure of finding a solution weighed heavily on Jude. There had to be something,  _ anything. _ He gave a weary sigh, hanging his head in temporary defeat.

The streetlights had begun to glow again, illuminating the cobblestone roads. Though the skies still had some light left in them, Fennmont was finally beginning to look like its former self. The faint sound of crickets could be heard from the city’s edge, out towards the fields. Milla, noticing how glum Jude was about the new dead end, sat next to him on the steps. She hummed softly to herself, trying to think of a way she could help. “Wait a moment,” she said, crossing her arms. “Didn’t Dr. Haus previously work at Laforte?”

“Yeah, he did,” Jude said. Though he had briefly considered checking out Laforte for more answers, he figured he’d have more luck with the texts that were already available to him. The possibility of finding more clues in his former lab was a bit of a longshot, considering all the changes Laforte went through before opening to the public several years ago. It was unlikely he’d find anything of Haus’ there. Still, maybe there was something they could use... “I suppose there could be something,” he conceded. His chances of finding anything new were slim, but it wasn’t like he had any other options to explore at this point.

Milla grinned, pleased with herself. “Looks like we have a new lead,” she said, and stood up, placing her hands on her hips. “Want to check it out?”

“Sure,” said Jude. He slung his bag over his shoulder, ready to go. It was worth a cursory glance, at least.

“Hold it,” Alvin said. He leaned against the stairway railing, shaking his head. “You guys don’t get out much, do you? The facility is on temporary lockdown because of the political tension, remember?”

“Ah, right. I forgot about that,” Jude said, furrowing his brow. That was another recent development -- with the potential of war between Rieze Maxia and Elympios, Fennmont officially closed Laforte’s doors to the public. At least temporarily, the military base was actually being used for military affairs again.

Milla’s eyes lit up. “That’s all the more reason to go,” she said, nodding with determination. “If it’s being guarded, that means they’re probably hiding something in there. It could be a new lead.”

Alvin pondered this for a moment, but shook his head. “There  _ could _ be something, but at this point it’s probably just weaponry. Besides, we’re not really in a position to do that. We don’t carry enough clout with the Rashugal military to gain access, and forcing our way through is probably more trouble than it’s worth.”

“What about sneaking in?” Milla asked. “We could probably get in through the drain pipe during a shift switch and take a quick look around.” She pressed a finger to her lips.

This time, Jude was the one to reject the idea. As fun as it would be to relive the night when he and Milla first met, it was too risky while there was still daylight. “It’s one thing to sneak in under the bridge when you have the cover of nightfall, but right now, it would be really obvious,” he said.

Milla shrugged. “I suppose you’re right,” she said.

“Even so, I think it’s something worth considering down the line if we can wait it out,” Jude said. “We probably won’t find any new research, but it could give us some insight on the Rieze Maxian-Elympion conflict. We can gather intel, and see if Marcia can use it to help prepare defenses and minimize damage.” He wasn’t completely sold on the idea, but it was  _ something _ , and it was better than sitting back and relaxing while the world was in turmoil.

Alvin shifted uncomfortably, crossing his arms over his chest. He gave Jude a stern look. “I know your heart’s in the right place, Jude, but that’s a bad move,” he said, his voice low. A seagull glided through the air over the campus, the wind pushing under its wings like sails.

Jude blinked, surprised at Alvin’s sudden change of tone. “Why, what’s wrong?” he asked. 

Alvin opened his mouth to speak, then closed it. He gave himself a few seconds to think about what he was going to say. He sighed in frustration. “Look, I know that you’re just trying to help the Elympions, but that’s one of the worst possible ways to go about it. If word got out that you were sharing confidential info, you’d become an enemy of the state. In case you forgot, divulging military secrets is  _ treason _ , Jude.”

Jude frowned. They had handled reconnaissance work in the past just fine. Why was Alvin suddenly against it? “I can’t just sit back and do nothing while Elympios is in danger,” he said.

“Need I remind you that the world doesn’t take kindly to traitors?” Alvin said, his voice serious. He leaned in and grasped Jude’s shoulder. “We don’t know what’s in there, or even if it’s worth finding out. That’s not a good enough reason. You’re no good to Rieze Maxia  _ or  _ Elympios if you’re dead or rotting in jail.” He released his grip and trudged down the stairs, scowling.

“I’m no good if I’m just sitting and twiddling my thumbs, either,” Jude retorted. “Don’t treat me like a child.”

Alvin whirled back around to face him, his boots scuffling against the pavement. “Maybe I won’t if you stop acting like one,” he shot back, his voice sour.

“Hey, knock it off!” Milla said, snapping her fingers at them to grab their attention. “Getting into a fight isn’t going to help anyone,” she huffed, traipsing down the stairs. She looked over at Jude. “I know you’re anxious, but you need to stop burying your fears in busy work. Blindly diving into every research opportunity you can find isn’t the only way you can help. In fact, it’s alienating you from those who care about you.”

Jude swallowed and cast his gaze downward. He didn’t want to admit it, but she was right. He knew that it was reckless to break into Laforte and divulge Rieze Maxian secrets given their delicate position, but even doing something glaringly stupid had seemed like a better alternative than doing nothing at the time. He had to remind himself that the Rieze Maxian-Elympion conflict couldn’t be borne on his shoulders alone, and that sometimes inaction would lead to less harm than action would. The idea of being idle left a bad taste in his mouth, but he’d have to adjust.

“As for you,” Milla continued, as she pivoted on her heel and faced Alvin, “I know that you’re trying to live more honestly and you’re concerned about our safety. I respect that, but we all know that our work is inherently dangerous, and that sometimes we need to do things that are morally gray for the sake of the greater good. You’ve come a long way in getting us to trust you, but you need to trust us, too.”

Alvin and Jude both opened their mouths to speak, but Milla shushed them. She smiled wide and threw her arms over her head in a long stretch. “Come on. Tomorrow, Elize becomes a doctor. Let’s rest up so we can celebrate with her.” She headed off, her thick hair bouncing behind her as she walked. 

The next morning, they woke up bright and early to get seats at the auditorium. Leia, evidently, was way ahead of all of them -- by the time they arrived, she had already saved them all spots near the front. She waved them over, grinning brightly. 

“Isn’t this great?” Leia said, clasping her hands together as they all took a seat on the hard metal folding chairs. “I’m so proud of her.” Though the graduating class size was modest this year, there was a decent sized crowd that had come to cheer them on. The audience members chattered idly in their seats, waiting for the ceremony to start. 

“She’s certainly earned it, hasn’t she?” Alvin said, crossing one leg over the other. “She’s had her nose in the books for a long time. Not only did she pull it off with no prior formal education, but she also snagged valedictorian while she was at it.”

“Yeah, she kicked some major ass,” Leia said brightly, her eyes sparkling.

Jude noticed that her demeanor had shifted dramatically since he’d last seen her. She seemed more animated, back to her old self, after spending a few days with Elize. “You seem to be doing better,” he said.

Leia nodded. “Yeah, definitely,” she said, grinning and making a fist. “Now that I’ve had some time to adjust, I’ve gotten my motivation back. I know what I want to do now.”

“Oh yeah?” Jude blinked. “What’s that?”

Leia tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, a slightly bashful expression on her face. “Funny enough, I think I want to go back to my old dream of becoming a nurse.” She looked up at the stage wistfully. “You know, after spending all this time with Elize and around the medical school, I realized that I missed it. Journalism was exciting, and I got to see a lot of the world because of it, but in my heart, I know I’m meant to help people. You know what that’s like.” She smiled softly at Jude.

Jude returned that smile. “I know exactly what you mean,” he said, nodding. That was a passion they’d shared since they were little, helping out around the Mathis Clinic. It was why Jude had wanted to become a doctor in the first place, and the same reason why he became an energy researcher -- there was nothing like the feeling of being needed by others. “Give it your best,” he said, balling his hand loosely into a fist and extending it to her.

She gave him a hearty fist bump, then focused her attention back onto the stage as the lights dimmed and the auditorium quieted down. As the tune of Talim’s alma mater floated through the room, a few dozen newly-minted graduates came out to greet them, their robes fluttering behind them as they took the stage. The room broke out into a hearty applause for Talim’s best and brightest new set of doctors.

Talim’s chancellor gave a rousing opening speech, but Jude was too focused on Elize and Teepo to catch what he was saying. Elize looked so small in her billowing black scholar’s robes, which draped over her lithe frame down to her ankles. She also wore a matching black cap, identical to those of the other students, but she had an additional ornament to distinguish her from the rest -- a set of gold and silver cords, which hung around her shoulders and gleamed in the light. She beamed with pride.

Jude couldn’t help but flash a grin at Teepo as he floated proudly at Elize’s side. Though the graduation ceremony was a serious occasion, the staff had enough of a sense of humor to provide Teepo with his own cap and gown, tailored to fit his floppy purple body. Through his peripheral vision, he caught Alvin trying to sneak a photo of the two of them on his GHS. 

One by one, the candidates walked across the stage and received their diplomas from the chancellor. When Elize’s turn arrived, she strode over confidently, offering a quick bow before taking the certificate in her hands. 

“Congratulations, Dr. Lutus!” Leia shouted from the audience, waving frantically.

Elize, turning slightly pink, turned around to see Jude, Leia, Milla, and Alvin standing and clapping for her. “How embarrassing!” Teepo said, wiggling his ears, but Elize smiled and gave a little wave back as she made her way across the stage and waited for the rest of the graduates to finish. 

As another doctor stepped forward to grab his diploma, a loud rumble echoed across the hall, bringing the auditorium to an abrupt silence. Jude heard the muffled sounds of shouting and gunfire from outside the school walls. His heart plummeted into his stomach and the hair prickled at the back of his neck as he realized what the sounds were: Elympion soldiers. They had finally begun to fight back. 

Milla shot up from her seat, her fists clenched and her eyes hard as steel. “Come on,” she said, beckoning Jude, Leia, and Alvin to her side. “Let’s shut this down.” Ignoring the wide-eyed stares of the other audience members, they ran through the aisles, preparing their weapons. Elize, who had discarded her cap and robes on the stage, rushed to join them.  The war that they had been dreading had finally reached them, Jude realized, as Milla kicked the auditorium doors open. He wasn’t sure what they were going to find, but they were determined to make things right somehow. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooohhhh my gosh!! Thank you all so much for your words of encouragement and for your patience as I’ve been lagging behind. That really means a lot to me. It means a lot to know there are folks that genuinely enjoy my writing and want me to keep doing it. I’ll do my best, even if I’m really slow at it right now! The holidays are busy, but I’m finally doing a lot better mentally, and I’m hoping to hop back full speed into the weekly updates by the time the new year rolls in. At the very least, one of my New Year’s resolutions is to finish this damn thing, and finish it strong!! Thanks again for sticking around. You’re the best!!


	21. Ended Before it Began

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While trying to mitigate an attack on Fennmont's harbor, Milla sustains a critical injury.

Milla burst through the auditorium doors and dashed into the street. As she scanned the area, searching for the source of the commotion, she hollered out commands: “We need to stop the attacks as efficiently as possible. Jude and Elize, focus on healing the wounded. Alvin and Leia, we need you to take down aggressors. Go!” She quickly located the source -- the harbor -- and took off for it, the others trailing close behind her.

A sliver of sunset lurked beyond the waves, staining the skies with bright red streaks. The stench of gunpowder lingered in the air, the tang of sulfur stinging her eyes. She sprinted quickly towards the docks, where most of the skirmishing was taking place, and drew her sword.

Her senses dulled and the world blurred around her as she plunged into the fray, binding and stunning enemies with pinpoint accuracy. Though she hadn’t been in a real combat situation since before she was summoned back to the human realm, she fought as if time hadn’t passed at all. Her sword became an extension of her arm, and she found herself forgetting her own mortality. She took down enemies one by one, letting them fall to the ground. Regardless of her form, she was the goddess Maxwell, and she wouldn’t let a single soul forget it. Fortunately for them, she had no intention of killing them, but for now she wouldn’t let them know that.

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through Milla’s leg, bringing her back to her senses. Seconds later, she processed the loud bang that had reverberated across the walls -- she’d been struck by an errant bullet. She winced and clutched her lower thigh, stumbling backward. She looked back at Jude and Elize, but they were both several meters away and focused on healing others. This wasn’t the first time she’d pushed herself on a bad leg, she thought, recalling the painfully familiar sensation of walking on the aspyrixis device. It hurt like hell, but she could handle this. She tore a strip of fabric from her skirt, tied it tightly around her thigh to stem the bloodflow, and kept fighting.

Milla took down another attacker, smacking him behind the head with the flat of her sword and letting him crumple to the ground. She fought her way through the mob, their shapes becoming more blurry as she limped her way to the back lines. Sweat glistened in clusters of tiny droplets on her cold skin, and she became more aware of the sound of her pulse reverberating in her temples. She looked down at the gunshot wound -- blood had already begun soaking through the cloth, dripping down her leg -- and she realized that her makeshift tourniquet wasn’t working as well as she’d hoped. She dropped to the ground, feeling lightheaded, and looked around for Jude and Elize. She couldn’t see them from her vantage point. 

It was all she could do to deflect incoming blows as the blood oozed down her leg. Her head felt like it was underwater, and she struggled to make out what was happening around her. She was yelling something, but she couldn’t hear her own voice -- a cry for help, probably, but she wasn’t sure. She felt a faint sensation like she was attached to some kind of rope.

Alvin dashed in front of her, shouting something back, but her head hurt trying to decipher it. She felt the rope tugging at the pit of her stomach -- a combat link, she realized -- and watched Alvin as he burst through several enemies at once, knocking them backwards. He yanked her up from the ground, drawing her out of the crowd as quickly as he could. The world went dark and silent as she jostled under his arm.

When she came to, her head was propped up by something soft and warm. Elize crouched over her, performing advanced healing arts on the wound. She was so focused on her work, she didn’t even notice when Milla opened her eyes. Jude, however, noticed immediately, letting a sigh of relief -- it then occurred to Milla that it was his lap that was supporting her head, and that he and Elize were both using healing artes simultaneously on her.

“She’s back, Elize,” Jude said, his voice raspy. He looked down at her, concern marking his features. He seemed roughed up as well, covered in scratches and sporting a shining bruise under his eye. Milla reached a hand up to him and cupped it gently on his chin.  He gave a weak smile, taking her hand in his own.

She sat up, looking around her.  The fighting had stopped -- those who hadn’t died or run off were lying unconscious on the ground, and the Elympion ships had pulled back into the ocean. Alvin and Leia stood guard, looking out for stragglers among the wreckage. It became clear that the attackers didn’t originate from the Elympion military, as their numbers were too small and their equipment was barebones. It was likely a rebel faction, seeking to take matters in their own hands and make a statement.

Shortly thereafter, Luiza strode in through the gates, flanked by Ivar and a small group of guards from Orda Palace. She was decked out in a full suit of armor, her hand resting on her sword holster. She turned to Milla’s group, cocking her head. “It seems we missed the action. What happened here?” she asked, observing the smoldering rubble and bodies that littered the ground.

“It was a rebel attack, ma’am,” Leia said, standing up straight and folding her hands together. “We’ve rounded up the suspects, as you can see by the multiple unconscious fighters on the ground. Please take them into custody so they can be properly tried for their crimes.”

Luiza stepped up to one of the dormant fighters, her lip curled back with a snarl. “That won’t be necessary,” she said, unsheathing her blade.

Milla flinched. The battle was over. Why was she drawing her sword?

“Wait, stop!” Jude called out, reaching forward. “You don’t have to--”

He was interrupted by a flash of steel and a spattering of bright red blood. He looked away, grimacing.

Luiza looked up, swiping a fleck of blood from her cheek. “Thank you for apprehending them for me,” she said, her voice cold.

“Wait!” Leia said, gripping her staff. “They’re defenseless! Don’t be cruel!”

She walked over to another victim, her face expressionless.  “Cruel?” she repeated calmly, plunging the blade deep into his chest. She pulled it out. “I think you’re mistaken. They were the ones who made the mistake of attacking Rashugal. They should be grateful they aren’t awake to take their punishment.” She commanded her soldiers to make haste in taking out the rest, execution style.

Milla started to get up, but Elize shook her head, looking forlorn. “Don’t,” she said, her eyes downcast. “You’ll tear your wound back open.” 

“What, did you think I’d just allow them to live?” Luiza continued, plunging her blade into an Elympion woman’s back. “It doesn’t matter if they’re a tiny rebel faction or the entire Elympion military -- I can’t afford to be merciful. It’s nothing personal, but we have a precedent to uphold.”

Milla noticed that Ivar stood motionless by the gate, unwilling to move. His face was deathly pale, and he looked like he might vomit. Ivar was no stranger to fighting, but this was beyond his capabilities. She knew that he was deeply uncomfortable with striking down anyone that couldn’t fight back. It just wasn’t in him. 

The area was eerily silent as Luiza and her soldiers executed the remaining rebels.  She approached Milla and her group, unflinching in her gaze. “Thanks again for your service to the Rashugal Empire,” she said, taking a bow. “Now stay out of trouble for me, would you?” She turned on her heel and walked away, leaving her troops to clean up the bodies.

“There,” Elize said, her voice steady but her hands shaking. Milla felt a slight sting as the final layer of skin melded back together into place. “You should be able to stand up now.”

Wordlessly, Jude stood and offered a hand, helping Milla get up. The group walked back to the inn, dropping off Leia and Elize at the dorms along the way. The light was all but gone from the sky at this point, and the mana-powered streetlights had begun to flicker on for the first time in weeks. The city’s clime would likely return to its signature night skies by the morning.

None of them were prepared for what they had encountered today. Tensions were high enough as it was, but with the rebel group’s reckless attack and Luiza’s merciless slaughter, relations between the two nations would surely face an even greater rift. Milla, Jude, and Alvin made it back safely to the inn, shutting the bedroom door quietly behind them. The mood was heavy, stifling. 

As soon as the three of them were alone, Jude whirled around to face Milla. He was absolutely furious. “What were you thinking?!” he hissed, clenching his fists. “You can’t just run off on your own like that!” 

Milla blinked and stepped back, surprised by the hostile tone in Jude’s voice. “It’s okay,” she said, looking down at the ground. “I’m fine now, I was just--”

“ _ No, _ ” Jude interjected sharply. “No, it is  _ not  _ okay. That was stupid, Milla. If Alvin hadn’t stepped in when he did…” He shuddered. “How could you be so careless? You’re human now, you can’t just--”

“I am  _ not  _ human,” Milla interrupted, frowning at him. She crossed her arms over her chest with a huff.

“Well, you certainly bleed like one! Human or not, you put yourself in great danger. You could have gotten yourself killed!”

“Enough, Jude,” Alvin said, placing a hand on his shoulder. 

Jude flinched at the contact, but he let his arms drop to his sides. Milla could see the anger draining from his body as he sat down on the side of the bed. In that moment, she realized he wasn’t upset with her -- he was afraid. Precariously, she took a seat next to him. “I’m sorry,” she said, her voice soft. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Jude sighed deeply, and took a moment to think. “I know, Milla. I know you didn’t mean to get hurt. I know that usually you can handle yourself fine, but… I can’t help it.” He buried his face in his hands. “I’ve lost you three times before, and each time I was sure would be the last. I don’t know if I can handle going through it again.” His shoulders shook as he struggled to bite back tears.

Milla’s heart sunk. “Jude…” she whispered, pulling him close. Was he still carrying that pain with him, even after all this time? She stroked his hair and let him cry on her shoulder. Alvin had wordlessly taken a seat on the other side of him, rubbing broad circles along the length of his back with slow, gentle movements.

“Sorry,” he hiccuped, sitting up straight. He was mildly embarrassed by his emotional display, his face flushed red.

“Don’t be,” Milla said. She wiped a tear from his cheek, then leaned in and kissed him on the forehead. “I promise I’ll be more careful next time. I’m not ready to die again, either.”

“I’d hope not, Maxwell. You’ve got a couple humans who would be  _ very  _ upset with you if you did that,” Alvin said. He gave Jude a light squeeze on the waist.

“I know my time here is limited,” she said, taking Jude’s hand and Alvin’s hand in her own. “I’m not sure how long this world will support my form, but I will stay as long as I can. I treasure the time I have with you. I promise not to waste it.” She squeezed both their hands, smiling brightly.

They sat in silence for a few moments, taking in that promise. Milla prayed that it at least offered them some small comfort.

“Ideally, I’d like to outlive you both,” Milla added, nodding.

Jude let out a snort of laughter. “Wait, what?  _ That’s  _ what you mean by as long as you can?”

Alvin grinned. “Considering my age and your terrible sleeping habits, that might not take too long,” he said, jabbing Jude playfully in the side. Jude nudged him back, sticking out his tongue.

Milla shrugged her shoulders. “It’s only fair. I’ve already departed this realm three times. At the very least, I could wait until you’ve had your turn.”

“Gee, thanks,” Jude said, rolling his eyes. But then he smiled -- a genuine, soft-eyed smile.

Milla smiled back. She had a feeling that everything was going to be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh wow, some things certainly did happen, didn't they?  
> This chapter should (fingers crossed) be kicking off the return to regularly scheduled updates!! I'm trying really hard not to let the good be the enemy of the perfect (because let's face it, y'all, my writing is far from perfect but that's OKAY because I'm learning, right?), and focusing more on putting out a decent project on a weekly deadline.  
> See you next Tuesday!!


	22. Leaving Town

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that Luiza knows their location, Jude conspires with Milla and Alvin to get out of Fennmont and pursue a new course of action.

_ It was like a photograph, Jude thought, standing at the gateway to Nia Khera. The village was motionless, trapped in a moment in time, with no signs of life within its walls. The sun’s rays shone brightly, casting a harsh light down onto the village from the cloudless sky above. The grass stood perfectly still, untouched by the weight of gravity or motion. The usually bubbling streams were like glass, frozen in place without a single ripple. The utter silence of the place rang in Jude’s ears. It was deafening. _

_ From the corner of his eye, Jude could have sworn he saw something move. He turned his head to see a single black feather, floating in front of him in a nonexistent breeze. He reached out for it, touched it, wrapped his fingers around it -- but as soon as it was in his hand, it disappeared, as if it had never existed in the first place. It was a transient object, one that was never meant to exist. Somehow, he knew that this space was the same way: liminal, fleeting. It wouldn't last much longer. He needed to leave before he disappeared, too. _

_ Jude approached the nearest yurt, peeling back the canvas that covered the doorway. He held his breath and stepped inside, letting the darkness envelop him. He blinked, and the scenery shifted. He was back in Fennmont, kneeling on the ground. Milla was lying motionlessly in his lap, and Elize was hunched over her, performing healing artes. _

_ This situation felt awfully familiar. _

_ Luiza strode into the scene, flanked by her guards. “It seems we missed the action. What happened here?” Her hand rested on her sheathed sword. Jude knew this was important, but he couldn’t remember why.  _

_ Leia was saying something, but Jude couldn’t focus on her words over the swelling rhythm of his own heartbeat pounding in his ears. He’d been here before. Something bad was about to happen. He eased Milla off his lap, standing up on his feet.  _

_ “Why are you hesitating? Is something wrong?” Luiza asked, cocking her head. Her voice was hollow, unnatural. These words didn’t belong with the others. For a moment, Jude wasn’t sure whether or not she had actually said them. _

Yes _ , Jude wanted to say,  _ something is terribly wrong _ , but his mouth wouldn’t open. He watched her intently as she grasped the handle of her sword, eyeing the bodies below, and suddenly he knew. _

_ This was his chance. He’d stop her this time. _

_ He barreled as quickly as he could into her, knocking her to the ground. The loud clash of steel against brick echoed across the walls as her armor struck the pavement, and her sword went skidding away towards the docks. _

_ He braced himself for retaliation, but Luiza simply laughed at him, a look of genuine amusement on her face. “What was the point of that?” she asked. “Foolish. Can’t you see you’ve already done my work for me?”  _

_ Jude looked down. His hands were stained with blood. _

Jude woke, startled, to Milla grabbing his shoulders and shaking him. Alvin had sat up and turned on the bedside lamp. Both of them looked concerned.

“You were shouting in your sleep,” Milla said. She let go of him, letting him sit up.

“Sorry,” Jude mumbled, rubbing his eyes. “Bad dream.”

Alvin sighed, but then gave a reassuring smile. “Yeah, we could tell. You all right?”

Jude cast a glance at his hands, just in case. There was no blood on them, at least not literally, for the time being. “I think so,” he said, nodding and scratching his head, which was plastered with a tangled black mess of bedhead. “Sorry about that. You can go back to sleep.” 

Alvin chuckled. “I’d rather not. It’s almost noon as it is.” 

“Wait, what?” Jude said, craning his head to look at the clock. Sure enough, it was half past eleven. He sighed, slumping back into the bed. After weeks of straight daylight, suddenly going back to Fennmont’s permanent nighttime was jarring, to say the least. 

“It’s not too surprising,” Milla said. “Yesterday was both mentally and physically taxing. Our bodies probably needed the rest.”

“I guess. I’m still not comfortable with losing that much time, though,” Jude said.

“Losing time for what?” asked Alvin. “We don’t exactly have a plan to go full speed ahead on right now.”

“Ugh, I know.” Jude drew his knees up to his chest and crossed his arms over them, lacing his fingers together tightly. Elize’s graduation was a welcome distraction, but the problem still loomed overhead: Elympios’ mana supply was fading quickly, and an intercontinental war threatened to wipe both them and Rieze Maxia off the map if something wasn’t done about it soon. Spyrites weren’t enough. Peace talks and negotiations weren’t enough. Even digging around in Professor Haus’ energy research documents wasn’t enough. Jude was running out of time and ideas, but there had to be something,  _ anything _ , that could stave off this threat.

“No matter what the plan is, though, we need to leave Fennmont soon,” Alvin said, pacing across the room. He looked out the window, towards the buildings that were once again glowing under the night sky. He looked wary. “We’ve exhausted all of our resources at Talim, and Luiza knows we’re here. Considering her previous attempt to kidnap you and last night’s display of power, I think it’s safe to assume she’s not our ally.”

“Okay, that’s a reasonable assessment,” Jude said. “But where do we go? What do we do?”

Alvin pondered on this a bit, humming to himself and tapping his foot on the floor as he made some mental calculations inside his head. “Right now, it’s probably best to lay low. We can probably count the entire continent of Elympios out thanks to the increased border surveillance. Not that it matters much, since Milla’s form won’t hold up there anyway.”

“Right.”

“So that leaves Rieze Maxia.” Alvin started counting off cities on his fingers. “We should avoid Fennmont and Leronde, since you’ve got strong affiliations with both towns and you’d be expected there. Nia Khera’s abandoned, and Kanbalar’s already politically on high alert since Rowen just assumed Gaius’ old duties. Sharilton and Xian Du would probably be okay, but both cities are expensive and we shouldn’t stick around Driselle’s place too long since she’s a prominent figure.”

“Okay. What about Hamil?” Milla asked. “Other than Nia Khera, that’s about as low profile as it gets.”

Jude shook his head. “It’s a good thought, but it’s so low profile they don’t even have an inn. The mayor was nice enough to let us stay in her home that one time, but we shouldn’t expect it again.”

Alvin snapped his fingers. “Oh, I know. How about Aladhi Seahaven? It’s a port town, so there will be enough people coming and going that we won’t stick out much. I can probably strike up a deal with Flora so we can stay unlisted at the inn, too.”

“I guess that will work,” Jude said with a noncommittal shrug. He wasn’t fond of the idea -- being away from a major city meant that research materials would be scarce -- but he wasn’t about to fight about it. As much as he loathed to admit it, there really wasn’t much that could be done at this point. Even if he were to find another mana-saving solution like spyrites, it would become another implementation nightmare, made even worse by the ongoing conflicts taking up resources. The world was rapidly approaching a crisis point. The best they could do was try to survive it, hope for the best, and mitigate as much damage as they could. 

“I know it’s not ideal,” Alvin said, giving Jude a sympathetic look. He scooted over next to him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. “You did what you could. No one’s going to blame you for whatever happens.”

Jude leaned back into him. “Doesn’t it bother you, though? The way things are going, Elympios is probably going to die out. That was your home.”

“Of course it bothers me,” Alvin said, shaking his head. “But it’s not my home anymore. You and Milla… you’re my home now. I need to keep you safe.”

Jude frowned. “Alvin…”

Alvin waved his hand. “Don’t get me wrong, I still want to save it. But in order for that to happen, we would need more than just some sort of miracle cure. We’d have to wean them off spyrix energy,  _ and  _ patch up the political rift between them and Rieze Maxia. It takes time and resources that we simply don’t have. It’s one thing to dispel a schism or fight a god, but it’s quite another to get people with opposing views to work together.”

Milla scowled. “So we’re just giving up, then? We’re going to run away?”

“For now, yeah,” Alvin admitted. It didn’t sound great, but what other choice did they have? 

The heavy atmosphere was broken by the sound of Jude’s GHS vibrating on the bedside table. He reached over and picked it up, flipping it open. 

“I just heard the news about what happened yesterday. Are you all right?” Rowen asked. 

“Oh, hey Rowen. Yeah, we’re okay,” Jude said. “Thanks for checking in. How are things in Kanbalar?”

Jude heard Rowen let out a lengthy sigh over the phone. “It could be better. We were making progress behind the scenes to establish an Auj Oule residency and welfare program for Elympion refugees who promised to renounce spyrix. Unfortunately, with Rashugal’s response to the rebel attacks, we no longer have the favor of the Elympion government, despite Marcia’s attempts to reconcile.”

“Sounds like a public relations nightmare,” Jude said.

“That’s one way of putting it, yes,” Rowen said. “I don’t know how King Gaius kept everyone so unified.”

_ Oh, right. Gaius.  _ “That reminds me,” Jude said, thinking back to the previous winter when they’d first heard the news. “You never did tell us... What happened to King Gaius, anyway?”

Jude could sense the hesitation in Rowen’s reply. He took a professional tone, one that Jude wasn’t used to having directed at him: “According to the official reports, he died of natural causes. Unfortunately, that’s all I have to tell you on that matter.”

“I see,” Jude said, frowning. He wondered briefly why Rowen was being so vague about it, but then he remembered: as the interim leader of Auj Oule, there was a good chance that Rowen’s communications were being monitored. He would have to ask him again in a more private situation.

“On a lighter note,” Rowen continued, slipping back into his usual tone, “how was Elize’s graduation? I wish I could have gone to see it with you.”

Jude smiled. “It was nice. They had Teepo in a matching cap and gown and everything.”

Rowen chuckled at that. “Good to hear. I’ll have to congratulate them both in person sometime. I must be going now, but I’m glad you’re all safe. Please send my regards.”

“Of course,” Jude said. He hung up the phone.

“We should infiltrate Laforte,” Milla said suddenly.

“What?” Jude said, raising his eyebrows. “Where did that come from? I thought we decided that was a bad idea.”

Milla nodded. “We did,” she said. “That was before last night’s attack, though. I was thinking about this while you were on the phone: we saw how ruthless Luiza Fenn is, and that was just against a small rebel faction. Knowing Laforte’s history, and how she operates as a leader, I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a big reason why she closed it back off to the public in the first place. We might not be able to stave off the energy crisis entirely, but we should at least try to focus on the smaller conflicts we can help avoid.”

Alvin clearly wasn’t happy with this suggestion. “I don’t need to remind you again about the possible consequences of getting caught.” 

Milla nodded again. “I know it’s risky, but I think it’s even riskier to just ignore Rashugal’s potential for destruction. We should prevent any military violence we can. That way, we’ll at least buy time for more peace negotiations.”

Alvin sighed, raking a hand through his hair. “I guess it’s better than sitting around and waiting to die.”

Milla leaned in and smooched Alvin on the forehead. “Oh, don’t be so dramatic. It’ll be fine. We have a bodyguard with us, after all.”

“Oh? I thought I was your boyfriend now,” Alvin said, smiling at her. “Isn’t it a conflict of interest to be dating my clients?”

“We have more important things to worry about than small business ethics,” she teased. “Come on, let’s get ready.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> plotplotplotplotplot
> 
> Sorry I'm a week late! I don't even have any depression to blame it on this time, since my new meds are working really well at regulating it (hooray!!). Honestly, I've mostly just been very easily distracted by other fandom crap, like Zelda:BOTW, Tales of Berseria, Yuri on Ice and FFXV (sooooo goooood omg). It is a really good time to be into RPGs and gay shit -- hoo boy, I am LIVING, my friends. I promise not to abandon the fic, though. I'm just being a slowpoke. Thanks again for reading, and see you soon!!


	23. Locked Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alvin finds himself locked up in an unfamiliar place, and tries to piece together what happened.

Alvin pushed himself up off the floor and sat up, his head pounding. He had no idea where he was, or how he got there, so he took a moment to make sense of his surroundings.  There wasn’t much to see. The room was pitch black, his clothes were damp, and -- he discovered, as he tried to stand up and was met with the rustle of chains at his ankles -- he was shackled to something. After feeling around a bit, grazing his palm against a long, narrow pole, he made an educated guess: a table leg, probably. His jacket was also missing, he realized, as goosebumps prickled up his arms.   _ Okay,  _ he told himself.  _ Don’t panic. This isn’t your first dicey situation... _

He took a deep breath and focused, trying to piece together what happened. He remembered their skirmish with Luiza, heading back to the inn, Rowen’s phone call, heading to Laforte…  _ Right. Laforte.  _ That explained the wet clothes, at least.

_ “What do you mean we have to swim inside?” Jude whined. “Last time, you made those little stepping stone things. Can’t you do that again?” _

_ “No, I can’t,” Milla said, sweeping her hair away from her face. She tied it back with a piece of ribbon. “Gnome helped me out with that. I don’t have the Four with me, so we’re just going to have to do it the old fashioned way.” _

_ “Ugh. Fine. I can’t believe you talked me into this… Hey, what are you doing?” Jude cocked an eyebrow at Alvin, who was starting to disrobe at the water’s edge. _

_ “Leather and water don’t mix,” Alvin said simply, shrugging his jacket off his shoulders. He folded it and set it on the ground underneath the bridge.  “A good suede jacket isn’t cheap, and I don’t want to ruin it.” _

_ “You’re ridiculous.” _

_ “You’ll be thanking me back at the hotel room later when I don’t smell like wet leather.” _

_ “Less talking, more sneaking,” Milla chastised. She pinched her nose and dropped into the water, barely making a splash behind her. _

_ Jude and Alvin quickly followed suit. _

Alvin pressed his palm to his forehead, swallowing down the sudden wave of nausea that hit him. Something very important had happened between entering the fortress and getting locked up. Chances were, he wasn’t taken very far -- he knew from experience how difficult it was to discreetly move a body from one location to the other, and he had a gut feeling that he hadn’t been out cold for long. That still didn’t give him much to go on, though. He let out a lengthy sigh, one that made him realize just how scratchy his throat was. He coughed. Had he inhaled smoke at some point?

He blinked. No, it wasn’t smoke. It was some sort of gas. He vaguely remembered running through the labs, shouting at Milla and Jude to split up and find a way out, while a hissing sound echoed through the halls…

“H-hey, is someone there?” a meek, feminine voice called out from somewhere nearby. 

Alvin cleared his throat. Whoever that was, it didn’t sound like a threat. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to take precaution. “Yeah,” he replied, keeping his voice as neutral as possible. “Any idea where we are?”

“Yeah, we’re at Orda Palace,” she replied. “Wait a minute. You sound familiar… Alvin, is that you?”

His eyes widened in sudden recognition. “Wait… Leia? What are you doing here?” he asked. He couldn’t recall Leia having joined them at any point during the night. When had she gotten caught up in this?

She scoffed. “I should be asking you that!” she said. “As soon as you sent that text, I came running. What the hell happened?”

Alvin frowned. “A text?” he said, shifting around and feeling in his pants pockets for his GHS. “What text?”

“Are you serious right now?” she said incredulously. “You know, the SOS you sent me. ‘At Laforte. In trouble. Don’t call, just get here ASAP.’ Does that ring a bell?”

“My memory’s a bit hazy at the moment,” Alvin admitted. “I don’t remember. I definitely found some trouble at Laforte, though, that’s for sure.” He checked his shirt pocket, but the device wasn’t there either. Had he lost it?

_ No, that’s not it, _ he realized, a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. 

His GHS was tucked away in his coat pocket -- inside the very jacket he had discarded at the stream’s edge. Someone else had gotten access to it. “Ugh, damn it,” he groaned, hanging his head low. “This is all my fault.”

“What’s all your fault? Alvin, what’s going on?” 

“That distress signal wasn’t from me, Leia. I left my GHS in my jacket outside Laforte after sneaking in. Someone probably took it and used it to lure you in. I’m the reason you’re stuck in here right now.”

“Ugh. Nice going, genius,” Leia said grumpily. “First, you go on a secret mission without inviting me, and then you get me and Elize locked up in the Orda Palace basement with you guys? Great.”

“Wait, Elize is here?”

Leia grunted. “Yes. The royal guards were waiting for us at the fortress. They arrested us for trespassing and suspicious activity. Did you know that Elize makes an outstanding meat pie? I really wish I could have finished mine before getting caught in your mess…”

“Sorry,” Alvin muttered. As guilty as he felt, though, he was secretly relieved. At least Leia seemed to be in good enough shape to chastise him with her usual spirit. “Do you know where Elize is?”

“I think she’s being kept in the next room over,” Leia replied. “Thankfully, they didn’t hurt us. We knew better than to start a fight against all those guards.”

“Good. Have you seen Jude or Milla?” Alvin asked.

“No,” said Leia. “I didn’t even know you were here until you spoke up. I’m guessing they’re not too far off, though.”

“Gotcha.” Alvin crossed his arms, trying to push out his pesky headache and pull his thoughts together. His gut feeling told him that they’d found something important. Every time he tried to focus in on what they saw, however, it slipped away from him. He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

Leia cleared her throat. “So, you have any plans to get us out of here, then?” she said dryly.

He shushed her, furrowing his brows together. “Give me a minute. I know that we found something in there. Something important.” He traced back to when they were running through the halls, trying to avoid being caught. They had seen something they weren’t supposed to see, he knew that for certain. That’s why there were guards waiting to ambush them, and why they’d flooded the fortress with knockout gas. Milla’s intuition was right -- Rashugal was hiding something huge. He tapped his foot impatiently against the floor as he tried to wring it out from his memory banks.

“Was it one of Haus’ research binders?” Leia said.

“No, I don’t think so,” Alvin said, shaking his head. “It was something we weren’t expecting.”

“Hmm. A great spirit in captivity? Clones?”

“I wouldn’t expect those, I’ll give you that. I’m pretty sure that wasn’t it either, though.”

“I mean, it is a military research facility. Was it a weapon, maybe?” Leia suggested.

A weapon. That sounded more likely. Alvin hummed in agreement. “Yeah, that’s probably it,” he said. “That would make sense, anyway.” He tried to recall if he’d seen any unusual weaponry while exploring the lab. What kinds of weapons had he seen lately? Guns, swords, staves, lances…

Lances?

_ The Lance.  _

Alvin snapped his fingers. “The Lance of Kresnik,” he said, but then stopped himself, confused. No, that didn’t make sense. Why would it be…? “I thought that maybe I saw the Lance of Kresnik, but that can’t be right. We destroyed it a long time ago… right?” The way his head was swimming, he wouldn’t be terribly surprised if it was a false memory. But a distinct image burned fresh into his mind. He could recall with perfect clarity the way the machine towered over them in the storage bay, the way Jude’s fists clenched together, the way Milla’s hair bristled on end at the sight...

“Yeah, we definitely got rid of it. I remember that,” Leia said.

Alvin frowned. “Then why do I remember seeing it at Laforte? I’m pretty sure I saw it, but I can’t think of any reason why someone would rebuild it. There’s no schism left to repel, and I can’t see how such a mana-sucking device would be of use to anyone, Rieze Maxian or Elympion.”

“I see no reason for it either,” Leia said. “Are you sure that’s what you saw?”

“Not sure what else it could be,” he said, shrugging. 

At that moment, a door clicked open, light trickling into the room. Leia and Alvin froze in place as a shadowed figure strode across the floor. It was still too dark to make out any distinguishing features, but from what Alvin could make out, it was a tall, muscular person wearing a hooded cape.

“I’ll need you to cooperate with me if you want to make it out of here alive,” the figure said in a quiet but commanding tone. His voice was gruff and masculine, and it carried a low pitch. He crouched down next to Alvin, rummaging through a small sack affixed to his waist.

Alvin sighed. He’d had enough mystery for one evening. Whatever this person wanted, though, it was probably better than being executed by palace guards for treason. “It’s not like we have much choice in the matter, do we?” he said.

“I’m afraid not,” the man replied, pulling an object out of his bag. It glinted in the dim light. With swift movements and a sharp clanging noise, he snapped the cuff that was keeping Alvin shackled. He slunk over towards Leia, presumably to do the same thing.

A few additional clanking sounds confirmed his suspicion. For some reason, this stranger was letting them go. 

“The guards will be back from their rounds soon,” the man said, slinking back towards the door. “If you’re going to escape, I suggest you do it now.” And without another word, he disappeared.

“O-okay, thanks,” Leia said, standing up from her spot. “Wow. That was a lucky break, huh? This feels like a trap.”

“It might be, but it’s probably no worse than the one we’re in now. I have no idea what his motive is, but I have a feeling we should listen to him,” Alvin said, approaching her. “Come on. Let’s find the others and get out of here.”

They slipped out of the room together and set out to find their friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh… hi, lol. I have spent most of the year not making updates. I am not proud of that. However, seeing a fic I loved update for the first time in over a year, as well as some unexpected new comments on my own (hi, thanks RaineWolf, welcome aboard!!), made me want to get my butt back into gear! I had to rack my brains a bit, as well as reread the entire series (because it turns out that just because you wrote a story doesn’t mean you’ll remember how it goes after a long time, FYI). It’s not my best work, but I’m hoping that by barfing up some more content I’ll eventually find a groove again.
> 
> In other news, I’ve spent most of this year binging Breath of the Wild, Persona 5, Tales of Berseria, and Final Fantasy 15 instead of doing anything productive with my life outside of my two jobs and wedding planning (oops). Once I’m done with this whole getting-married-to-the-love-of-my-life thing, I want to start updating more regularly. I have been itching to get back into writing fic. I hope y’all are doing fine as well. I missed you guys.


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